Rice Bomb with Pigeon


Preparation:
pass the pigeons over a flame, pluck them carefully, trim off the legs and wings, eliminate the neck and head, divide in two and gut them. Wash under cold running water and pat dry.
Wash and dry well the pigeon and chicken livers and store in the fridge. Heat oil and butter in a saucepan, lay the half pigeons in it and surround them with the sage leaves.
Turn the heat up halfway and gently brown for about twenty minutes, turning a couple of times. When they have taken on colour, season with salt and pepper and pour the wine into the pan a little at a time until it is finished.
At this point, lower the heat to a minimum, put the lid on and continue to cook for about an hour until the pigeons are very tender. All this time, make sure the liquids do not dry up too much and baste with a few tablespoons of stock when necessary.
After fifty minutes, add the four livers to the pan. At the end of cooking, you should have a sauce that is not too concentrated and is full of flavour. In the meantime cook the peas in boiling salted water for about ten minutes. Leave the pigeons to cool then bone them by hand discarding also part of the skin. Cut the meat into fillets, put these back into the cooking liquid along with the livers sliced, and the peas.
Cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water for twelve minutes exactly (cooking will be finished in the oven). Drain it, pour into a bowl, add the butter in small pieces, and the Parmesan cheese.
Allow to cool slightly and stir in the egg beaten, and a pinch of nutmeg. Butter a hemispherical mould and line with breadcrumbs. Using three-quarters of the rice, line the mould to form a layer about three inches thick.
Press down well with the back of a moistened spoon and pour all the pigeon sauce into the hollow. Even off the surface and cover with the remaining rice to form a compact and well sealed lid. Sprinkle the surface with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs and scatter with flakes of butter.
Put the mould in a bain-marie in the oven, preheated to 180° and bake the Bomb for about twenty minutes. Once removed from the oven, wait at least five minutes before removing the Bomb from the mould.



Ingredienti

Ingredients (for 6 persons):

  • 450g Carnaroli rice;
  • 80g butter;
  • 80g grated Parmesan cheese;
  • 1 whole egg for the filling;
  • 2 small pigeons complete with liver;
  • 2 chicken livers;
  • 200g spring peas (fresh or frozen);
  • 30g butter;
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil;
  • nutmeg;
  • 6 sage leaves;
  • 1/2 glass dry white wine;
  • 1 cup stock;
  • salt and pepper;
  • butter and breadcrumbs for the mould.