Pigeon kebabs with hare and rosemary work fabulously on a summer BBQ.  Pigeon, dubbed as ‘squab’ in many restaurants is an often underrated bird. However, its rich, dark meat and gamey flavour makes it delicious when paired with hare and rosemary to create these top notch pigeon kebabs.

PIGEON KEBABS WITH HARE AND ROSEMARY

Using a rosemary stalk as a kebab stick or skewer adds a delicious flavour to the meat – and it looks great.
Blue mountain hare fillets and pigeon breasts have been used in this instance but you could swap these for other game such as grouse, pheasant or partridge breasts or small chunks of loin of leg of venison.

Makes 8 pigeon kebabs
■ 8 rosemary skewers
■ 4 skinless pigeon breasts
■ 4 hare fillets
■ 1 peeled garlic clove
■ 1 tsp smoked paprika
■ Juice of 1⁄2 lime
■ 1 tbs olive oil plus a little extra for cooking
■ 1 tbs chopped coriander
To serve
■ 300ml (101⁄2fl oz) Greek yoghurt
■ 1 lime, cut into quarters

Hold the tip end of the rosemary and strip the rest of the leaves off down towards the stalk, leaving about 2.5cm (1in) of leaves at the tip. Slice each of the breasts into three and the fillets into four and place them in a bowl. Using a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic clove with a good pinch of salt. Add the paprika, lime juice and olive oil, give it a stir, then add in the chopped coriander.

Mix the marinade with the chunks of meat then thread on to the rosemary skewers making sure you get a mix of hare and pigeon on each. You will fit three or four pieces on each stalk. Lay them on a tray and leave covered in the fridge for an hour. When ready to cook the hare and pigeon rosemary skewers, lightly brush the meat with oil then grill on a hot barbecue for five to six minutes, turning occasionally to get all sides lightly charred.

Serve your hare and pigeon rosemary skewers with thick Greek yoghurt and wedges of lime