Pigeon is often overlooked, but on the plate it is far from humble. Try Philippa Davis’ pigeon breast salad with pistachio and rocket pesto, purple sprouting broccoli and spring onions for your next spring supper party starter.

Pigeon is lean, inexpensive, sustainable and, above all, delicious. It’s no surprise that it is the chef’s choice of meat, and finding its way on to the menus of some of the top restaurants in the country. We speak to the top chefs putting pigeon on their diners’ plates, read why we should cook pigeon, the chef’s favourite. And for Michelin-star approved pigeon, try Michel Roux’s pigeon roti et petit pois a la Française. Taken from the Le Gavroche cookbook, it is guaranteed to seriously impress your guests.

PIGEON BREAST SALAD WITH PISTACHIO AND ROCKET PESTO, PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI AND SPRING ONIONS

Serves 8

• 16 spring onions
• 250g purple sprouting broccoli
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8 pigeon breasts
• 160g mixed salad leaves

Pistachio and rocket pesto

• 80g lightly roasted pistachios
• 30g basil leaves
• 80g rocket
• ½ clove crushed garlic
• 30g grated parmesan
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 150ml extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, blitz all the ingredients for the pesto, except the oil, until finely chopped. Slowly pour in the oil. Stop the machine and check the seasoning.

Blanch the spring onions and broccoli in a pan of salted boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan on a medium heat, season the breasts and fry for 1½ minutes on both sides. Remove to rest then fry the spring onions and broccoli in the same pan.

In a bowl, toss the salad leaves with the warm spring onions, broccoli and pesto.

Cut the breasts into five slices and mix with the salad.

Serve straight away piled onto plates.