Warm pigeon and spelt salad

Pigeon is a rich, strongly flavoured meat, so a little goes a long way in this warm autumnal salad.

Serves: 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes

2tbsp rapeseed oil

300g butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes

2 garlic cloves, whole and unpeeled 2 sprigs of thyme

250g pigeon breasts

Splash of red wine vinegar

250g ready-cooked spelt

1tsp blackberry jelly

50g bitter or peppery salad leaves

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

25g toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped Handful of blackberries

1 Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put 1tbsp oil into a roasting tin and place in oven while it heats up. Once it has reached temperature, add the squash, garlic and one thyme sprig to the tin. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, toss in the oil and cook for 15-20min or until tender.

2 Slice the pigeon into strips the width of your little finger. Set a sauté pan over a medium to high heat and, when

hot, add remaining oil. Stir-fry pigeon for 2min until golden but still a little pink inside. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3 Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, then tip in the squash, any oil from the roasting tin (remove thyme and garlic first) and the spelt. Heat through, stirring constantly, and add a splash of water if the spelt sticks to the pan. Stir in jelly and pigeon, and heat for 1min.

4 Stir in the salad leaves and onion and pile on to a serving plate. Sprinkle with the nuts, berries and leaves from the remaining thyme sprig. Serve at once.