3 cups game bird or chicken stock
1 cup bulgur wheat
Kosher salt
1 minced onion
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons butter or oil
1/2 cup chopped mint
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 celery sticks
Juice of a lemon
Brine your pigeons in the salt solution I refer to above for 6-12 hours in the fridge. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a pot, then add the cinnamon, cardamom, about 1 teaspoon of salt and the allspice. Add the bulgur, cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the wheat absorbs the liquid. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry the onions and walnuts, stirring often, until they begin to color. Turn off the heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. When the bulgur is done, add it to the onion-walnut mixture and stir to combine. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to release the heat. When it is cool, add the mint and a little lemon juice and mix well. Stuff each bird with some of the mixture, but not too much, as it will expand a bit. Leave the remaining bulgur in the pan. In another, oven-proof pan (cast iron is ideal), lay the pigeons breast side down. Use the celery sticks as props to keep them in place. Roast this way for 25 minutes. Turn the birds over and roast for another 10 minutes, then turn the heat to 500 degrees and roast for a final 10 minutes — this is to brown and crisp the breast meat. Remove and let the pigeons rest for 5-10 minutes. Heat up the bulgur mixture in the pan over low heat. Serve the pigeons on a bed of bulgur, top with a little lemon juice and some fleur de sel, if you have any.