Deep fried pigeon

7:10am Friday 16th May 2008

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By David Paine »

STAFF at a fish and chip shop in Worcester city centre got the shock of their life when a pigeon flew in through the window and fell into a deep fat fryer.

The hapless bird squeezed through a fanlight window at Angel Plaice and flew around the chippy.

Dawn Jennings, Angel Plaice assistant manager, said: "I was quite stunned. I had just put some chips on and then this pigeon came in. It was trying to get out and was banging against the windows, but as it tried to get out it rebounded and fell in one of the fryers.

"It must have been a painful death. It was quite distressing at the time, but we can laugh about it now."

Mrs Jennings said at least one worker got in a flap and ran out of the shop screaming as the unusal event unfolded at about 4pm on Wednesday.

Grant Hinton, aged 18, who works on the mobile phone stall in the market, said: "I was just about to go in and get some chips.

"I was talking to some mates when I heard some people shouting pigeon'. Tracy from the pet food stall tried to get it out but it went straight in the fryer.

"Then she managed to scoop it out.

"They put it in a bag but it melted through through the plastic and fell on the floor."

Mrs Jenning said the bird was disposed of and she was not planning to add deep fried pigeon to the menu.

She said it was lucky they did not have any customers at the time and added they immediately closed the shop for cleaning.

She stressed that staff have since scrubbed all of the equipment and replaced the cooking oil, but nobody is letting them forget what happened. "We've had all of the jokes," she said.

"All of the people working on the market have been cooing as they've walked passed and we've had people asking if the food is for eating in or flying away!"

Recipe Tempura battered pigeon breast Take one pigeon and strip it down to its breast. Flour it and cover in tempura batter - a light Japanese-style batter made using cold water and wheat flour. Put redcurrant jelly, honey, and whole grain mustard in a pan and reduce it down. Mix up a herb salad and place in the middle of a clean plate. Place the deep-fried pigeon on top of the salad and drizzle the sauce all over. Serve.

This recipe was courtesy of Steve Counsell, head chef at the Hadley Bowling Green Inn, Hadley Heath, near Droitwich, where squirrel has appeared on the menu in the past.