(Skovduer)
6 young wood pidgeons
Salt and ground black pepper
3-4 oz (100 g) butter
6 thin rashers very fat fresh bacon
1 tablesp. brandy
2-3 tablesp. port
½-¾ pint (4-5 dl) cream
1-2 teasp. cornflour
Rowan or redcurrant jelly
Watercress
Pluck and clean the pidgeons and singe carefully.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, place a lump of butter inside each bird and tie on the fresh bacon rashers.
Brown well on all sides, pour the brandy over the birds and set alight.
Add the port and about ¼ of the cream and fry the pidgeons over a gentle heat for 25-35 min. according to size.
Take out the birds, remove the bacon and keep hot.
Boil up the pan with the remainder of the cream until it thickens.
If necessary, thicken with a little cornflour dissolved in cream, season, and add a little of the jelly to taste.
Serve with small potatoes - cooked in their skins, peeled and fried in butter, jelly and watercress.
Older birds may be boiled until tender and then fried in exactly the same way. The difference in result is almost negligible.