Pigeon with celery pine nut purée, bao and porcini
Classical French cuisine thrives on powerful sauces, uncompromising product quality and precise craftsmanship. Frédéric Morel shows how timeless these values are with dishes reduced to the essentials yet full of depth, a quiet tribute to haute cuisine marked by balance, finesse and respect for the product. For this 3-course menu he presents a refined main course: pigeon with celery pine nut purée, bao and porcini, where tender pigeon meat meets creamy celery purée, roasted pine nuts and earthy porcini, while a steamed bao bun adds a modern, delicate touch. If this dish inspires you, the remaining courses await further down the page.
For the Confit Legs
Cook with garlic, thyme and bay leaf in fat at 90°C for about 1.5 hours.
Remove the meat from the bone and shred it.
| 2 | Pigeon legs |
| ca. 300 g. | Duck or Goose fat |
| 1 | Garlic Clove, crushed |
| 1 | Sprig of Thyme |
| 1 | Bay Leaf |
For the Bao Buns
Knead together flour, yeast, sugar, milk, oil and salt.
Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
Shape into oval pieces, fold in the center, brush with oil and steam in a bamboo steamer for about 10 minutes.
| 250 g. | Wheat Flour (type 550) |
| 4 g. | Dry Yeast |
| 20 g. | Sugar |
| 120 ml. | Lukewarm Milk |
| 1 tbsp. | Vegetable Oil |
| 1 pinch | Salt |
For the Bao Filling
Sauté the shallot in butter, deglaze with Madeira.
Add the shredded leg meat, season and finish with parsley.
Fill the buns with the mixture.
| Shredded confit Pigeon leg | |
| 1 | Shallot, finely diced |
| Dash of Madeira | |
| 1 tsp. | Chopped Parsley |
For the Celery Pine Nut Purée
Cut the celery and potato into cubes, cook until soft, then blend finely with butter, cream and toasted pine nuts.
Season with salt and nutmeg, then pass through a fine sieve.
| 300 g. | Celeriac |
| 1 | Small Potato |
| 50 g. | Toasted Pine Nuts |
| 50 ml. | Cream |
| 50 g. | Butter |
| Salt | |
| Nutmeg |
For the Sauce Rouennaise
Sear the carcasses and wings well, add the shallot and flambé with cognac.
Add red wine and reduce, then pour in stock and let it simmer.
Strain and reduce strongly.
Thicken with blood or a reduction alternative, then whisk in cold butter.
Finish by seasoning with black pepper.
| Pigeon carcasses and wings, roughly chopped | |
| 20 g. | Mustard (medium hot) |
| 1 | Shallot |
| 50 ml. | Cognac |
| 100 ml. | Red Wine |
| 200 ml. | Poultry or Pigeon stock |
| 50 ml. | Pigeon or Duck blood (or reduced poultry stock plus port wine) |
| 30 g. | Cold Butter |
| Black Pepper |
For the Seared Porcini
Clean and slice, then sauté in oil and butter until golden brown.
Season to taste.
| 200 g. | Fresh Porcini Mushrooms |
| Oil | |
| Butter | |
| Salt | |
| Pepper |
For the Pigeon
Sear vigorously on the skin side, flip briefly, then grill over charcoal or with indirect heat.
Let rest briefly and season lightly with salt.
| 4 | Pigeon breasts (skin on, from young French Pigeons) |
| Carcasses and Wings for the sauce | |
| 2 | Pigeon legs |
| Salt | |
| Pepper | |
| Neutral Oil | |
| Butter |
For the Plating
Place the whole pigeon breast on the plate and spoon a little sauce underneath.
Arrange a small dollop of the celery pine nut purée next to it and garnish with the seared porcini and thin slices.
Add fresh herbs for accents.
Serve the bao bun separately in a bamboo steamer basket.
