Pot Roast Pigeon

I think this is from a Nigel Slater recipe, but I can't remember...

Serves 2
Butter

2 Pigeons
2 herby sausages
1 Onion
1 Carrot

1 Celery stick
a few sprigs of thyme

Garlic - 2 cloves
unsmoked streaky bacon - 2 rashers

bay leaves - 2

juniper berries - 12

plain flour - a level tbsp
fruity red wine - 150ml

chicken or game stock - 150ml

Melt half the butter in a heavy casserole, then brown the pigeons and sausages lightly on all sides. Lift them out and set aside. Set the oven at 190 c/gas 5.

Peel the onion, cut it in half, then slice each half into five from root to tip. Melt the remaining butter over a moderate heat and add the onion. Peel the carrot, cut it into large dice and add it to the onion, together with the chopped celery, 4 or 5 sprigs of thyme and the peeled and sliced garlic. Continue cooking, stirring from time to time.

Remove the rind from the bacon and cut each rasher into about six pieces. Stir into the onion and add the juniper berries, lightly crushed, and the bay leaves. Leave to soften, making certain the sausages have the opportunity to colour. After about 20 minutes, the vegetables should be soft and golden.

Stir in the flour, let it cook for a few minutes then stir in the wine and the stock. Bring almost to the boil then return the pigeons and sausages to the pan and roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the pigeons are tender but still lightly pink in the centre.