Salmis de palombes

The Basquaises are a charming lot and their food is splendid and, by current French standards, quite cheap.

One of their specialities is Pigeon Casserole, and very delicious it is too. But the way they catch the pigeons leaves a little to be desired in these enlightened times. Briefly, they net the little darlings! Très folklorique, no doubt, but actually quite barbarous. Still, this is a cookbook, not a Greenpeace pamphlet. So on with the recipe.