Serves 4 Serves 4
This recipe isn’t particularly difficult, but it is one of the most involved in the book because it requires advance preparation (the squab have to be seasoned 12 hours ahead) and careful monitoring of the cooking-liquid temperature (you will need a kitchen thermometer). All that said, if you or someone dear to you loves game bird in season, this is a real one-of-a-kind treat.
Serve this with pastina, which can be cooked in the broth after the squab have been removed, or precooked orzo or tubetti, placing them in individual bowls and ladling the hot broth on top.
4 squab (approximately 12 ounces each) Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
24 pearl onions, halved, or cippoline onions cut into thirds or quarters, depending on size
24 small white mushrooms, or 12 larger ones, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and cut into small dice
2 stalks celery, cut into small dice
11/2 cups dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
1 cup dry white wine
11/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
21/2 quarts hot water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Truffle oil or shaved black truffle, optional
1. Pat the squab dry inside and out. Season the squab inside and out with salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least 12 hours to dry out the bird.
2. When ready to proceed, melt the butter with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot set over low heat. Add the pearl onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and garlic. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, without letting the mushrooms or onions brown, for 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and pearl onions from the pot and set aside on a plate.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pan, along with the carrot, onion, and celery, raise the heat to medium, and cook the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the porcini mushrooms and stir to coat them with the oil. Add the white wine, bring to a boil over high heat, and cook, scraping any flavorful bits off the bottom of the pot.
4. When the wine has evaporated, add the vinegar, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir and add the hot water, 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Lower the heat and simmer until the liquid becomes very flavorful, 25 to 30 minutes.
5. While the liquid is simmering, remove the squab from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
6. Insert a kitchen thermometer in the liquid to ensure that the temperature stays at 190°F, adjusting the level of heat if necessary. Immerse the squabs in the liquid, with the breast facing down and the legs facing up. Cook for 5 minutes, then turn the birds over and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes for rare, 10 to 13 minutes for medium-rare. The squab are done when the skin feels firm and the legs spring back in place if you bend them back from the body.
7. Remove the squabs from the pot, transfer them to a cutting board, and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.
8. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil over high heat and skim any fat or scum that rises to the surface to purify the flavor and appearance of the sauce.
9. To serve, divide the mushrooms and onions among 4 wide, shallow bowls. Place 1 squab in each of the bowls and spoon some broth over each serving. Garnish with chopped parsley. If desired, finish with a drizzle of truffle oil or top with sliced fresh truffle.
Mushroom-Poached Poussin or Cornish Game Hen
This recipe also works well for poussin (12 to 14 ounces each) if you increase the cooking time to 24 to 26 minutes, or for Cornish game hen if you increase the cooking time to 20 to 22 minutes.
TOMORROW’S TABLE
The cooking liquid can be strained and used to add an exceptional depth of flavor to soups and stews centered around mushrooms such as Mushroom, Barley, and Sage Soup and Mushroom Stew. Use it in place of all or part of the stock called for in the recipe.