Pan fried rook with vine fruits served with couscous

By: Alan Coxon From: Good Food Live

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This recipe is classed as intermediate

Avg User rating

2.98 / 5 (54 votes cast)

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Prep time:
25 min
Cook time:
20 min
Serves:
2

Delight your dinner guests with Alan Coxon's deliciously different recipe for rook - luckily, it works just as well with pigeon!

Ingredients

For the rook:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 6 rook breasts, boned
  • black pepper
  • 3 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp thyme, leaves only
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 small carrot, finely diced
  • 100 g currants, soaked in 3 tbsp brandy
  • 100 g sultanas, soaked in 3 tbsp brandy
  • 225 ml robust fruity red wine
  • 2 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 100 ml chicken stock
  • 2 tsp clear honey
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 30 g butter
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Method

1. Make the couscous. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and add the onion, carrot and celery. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes, until softened.

2. Add the spices and stir well, cooking for a further 2 to 3 minutes.

3. Add the tomato and stock and bring to the boil.

4. Add the couscous stir well, bring back to the boil and remove from heat.

5. Add the butter, stirring well. Cover and leave to stand for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. For the rook, heat the oil in a heavy based pan. Season the rook breasts with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then rub all over with the crushed garlic and thyme and leave aside.

7. Add the onions and carrot to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Turn the heat up and add the rook breasts, fry quickly on all sides to seal.

8. Pour over the brandy from the soaking vines fruits and flame the birds. When the flames have died down, add the vine fruits followed by the wine and wine vinegar and bubble until reduced.

9. Add the stock and honey and bring to a simmer.

10. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then remove the breasts, cover and keep warm. Reduce the liquid in the pan until almost syrupy and then strain it. Add the butter and whisk thoroughly. Serve the breasts with the sauce accompanied by the couscous.

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