Pigeon with Lemon-Cashew Popcorn Crust, Confit Legs, and Multicolored Beets By Chef Arnaud Viel from La Renaissance in Normandy

Directions

1. Cooking the Pigeons: Clean and gut the pigeons, then remove the legs. Stuff the lemon confit paste under the skin of the pigeon breasts. Season the breasts on the bone with salt and pepper. In a pan, heat oil and sear the breasts with crushed garlic, thyme, bay leaves, and butter. Transfer to a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8 minutes, basting frequently. Let rest, then remove the breasts from the bone. Coat the breasts with a mixture of crushed popcorn and cashews. Set aside.
2. Pigeon Jus: Brown the pigeon carcasses with onion and shallot in a large pot. Add garlic and thyme, then deglaze with red wine. Let the wine reduce. Add stock to cover and simmer for 1.5 hours. Let the jus rest for 30 minutes, then strain and reduce to a syrupy consistency.
3. Confit Pigeon Legs: Debone the pigeon legs and stuff them with foie gras. Season the legs, roll them tightly, and vacuum-seal. Cook the legs sous-vide at 172°F (78°C) for about 3 hours.
4. Rolled Beets: Peel and wash the beets, then slice them into thin strips. Season and roll each beet strip with a truffle stick in the center. Vacuum-seal the rolls with butter and steam at 194°F (90°C) for 40 minutes.
5. Plating: Arrange the pigeon breasts on top of the rolled beet slices. Add the confit pigeon legs and glaze them with the pigeon jus. Decorate with dots of pigeon jus mixed with lemon confit paste, and place the beet rolls around the plate.