Pigeon Pieces with Ginkgo Nuts

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2 Bay leaves
• 4 cloves of mace
• 1 Carrot
• 150 g celery root
• 150 g leek stalk
• 4 pre-cooked pigeons (with heart)
• 1 untreated lemon
• 5 allspice berries
• 5 peppercorns
• salt to taste
• 300 g canned ginkgo nuts
• light soy sauce for seasoning

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel and halve the onion, then skewer it with bay leaves and mace. Peel and cut the carrot and celery root into large pieces. Wash the leek and cut it similarly. Rinse the pigeons. Wash the lemon hot and thinly peel a ~10 cm long strip of zest. Add 2 liters cold water to a pot, add the skewered onion, vegetables, pigeons, lemon zest, allspice and peppercorns, bring to a boil. Stir in 1 tbsp salt, cover loosely and simmer on low heat for 2 hours, skimming any foam that forms.

2. 2.

   After two hours remove the pigeons and slice them into portions. Strain the broth through a sieve into a pot and skim off excess fat if needed. Return the pigeon pieces to the pot, add drained ginkgo nuts, let steep for 10 minutes, then season with soy sauce.