Wood pigeon, pomegranate and caramelised fig salad with beer-battered haggis

Born into the food industry, Paul has spent time in the kitchens of Thailand, Hong Kong, Cornwall and London, working alongside culinary luminaries such as Anthony Worrall Thompson.

With spells at local restaurants Branksome Beach, Chewton Glen and La Roche at the Haven Hotel, Paul ran his own restaurant, Pier Point in Boscombe, before joining The Larderhouse ten months ago.

Wood pigeon, pomegranate and caramelised fig salad with beer-battered haggis

Unlike some game birds there is no close season for pigeon and it is becoming more and more popular. I get my pigeon from Lee at Dorset Charcuterie; they are particularly plump and, as he shoots them himself, are very fresh. Large supermarkets and some local butchers sell them.

Serves 4:

• 1 pomegranate
• 4 plump, skinless pigeon breasts
• Oil for frying
• 4 figs, cut in half
• 4 handfuls of watercress
• 150g chick peas
• 1 small haggis rolled into 12 balls

Dressing for salads:

• Juice of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Beer batter:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 200ml fizzy beer
• Pinch paprika
• 2 tablespoons cornflour

Pomegranate molasses marinade – mix all of these ingredients together:

• 1 garlic clove
• Juice of 1 pomegranate
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
• 1 tablespoon grated onion
• Pinch black pepper
• 2 tablespoons non-virgin olive oil

Combine ingredients for the marinade and rub into the pigeon breasts. Leave for at least an hour, preferably longer. To get the juice from the pomegranate cut the fruit in half crosswise and ream as you would a lemon.

Whisk all ingredients for the dressing together, season to taste and set aside.

When you are ready to serve, fry pigeon over medium heat in olive oil until golden brown on each side and rest in warm area, the pigeon should still be pink. Using the same, pan fry figs until soft and jammy, set aside and keep warm.

Whisk together the beer, the flour and a little black pepper (and paprika if you wish) to make a light batter.

Roll the haggis balls into the cornflour then put into the beer batter. Remove using a fork and drop carefully into groundnut oil heated to 180c in a heavy pan or wok and cook until golden. Be careful as they may ‘spit’.

Remove with draining spoon and place on kitchen paper or paper towels. Keep warm.

Heat the chick peas and allow to cool slightly. Dress the watercress with the salad dressing and toss well with the warm chick peas.

Spread salad on to 4 large pasta bowls, top with the figs and sliced pigeon breast and any pan juices. Add the haggis balls and serve quickly.