Braden Family Cookbook

Chuck Braden

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PICCIONI IN TEGAME                                                   Tuscany basic

Pigeons, pot-roasted 

This is one of Chuck's signature recipes.  If you love pigeon, you'll love this.  If you don't like pigeon, this still should be tried.

Chuck got an honorable mention when he cooked this recipe at the 1997 "Taste of Tuscany" festival in Portland!

6 oz. chopped pancetta, (if bacon used, flavor will be non-traditional smokey)

2 chopped garlic cloves

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled & chopped

1 medium celery stalk, chopped

1 TBSP chopped Italian parsley

1 TBSP chopped fresh rosemary

3 TBSP good olive oil

3 pigeons, about 1# each

Salt and pepper to taste

12 oz. dry red wine

Combine pancetta, garlic, onion, carrot, parsley, celery in a cold shallow pan big enough to hold all of the ingredients.  Drizzle olive oil on top, place pigeons on top.  Add a little salt and pepper. 

Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring veggies often and turning pigeons at least once.  After about 10 minute of this the pigeons should start turning golden brown. 

Lower the heat, add half the wine and cover.  Cook for about 1 ½ hours adding the additional wine as the mixture gets dry. 

Remove pigeons, cut in half, spoon pan juice on top. 

Serve.