Grilled Spiced Squab Recipes

GRILLED SPICED SQUAB

Steps:

• Remove heads and feet from squab. Insert a sharp knife through neck cavity and carefully split each bird down the back, keeping breast intact. Remove backbone, then carefully remove breastbone, cartilage and ribs. The bird should look like a butterfly, with only wing and leg bones attached.
• Place garlic cloves and ginger in the bowl of a food processor, and blend to a paste. Add aniseed, saffron, paprika, cayenne and lemon juice, and blend about 30 seconds to combine. Transfer blended ingredients to a mixing bowl, add chopped coriander and green onions and whisk in olive oil. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Place squab in a shallow ceramic or enameled dish, add spice marinade and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before grilling.
• Preheat broiler or outdoor grill to highest temperature. Sprinkle squab with salt. Grill squab, skin-side-up, for 4 minutes, and then turn to grill 3 minutes, skin-side-down. Baste frequently with marinade while cooking. Test for doneness: squab are best served rare. Suggested times are for a very hot fire. A home broiler will take longer than mesquite or charcoal briquettes.
• Serve with couscous, rice or a combination of bulgur wheat and rice, sprinkled with minced green onions and accompanied by a lemon wedge.

GRILLED RARE SQUAB WITH FOIE GRAS FRIED RICE AND POMEGRANATE MOLASSES SYRUP

Steps:

• For the squab: In a baking dish large enough to hold the squab, combine the soy sauce, molasses, wine, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, black pepper, and oil. Add the squab, turn to coat, and marinate, covered, about 1 hour.
• Prepare a medium-hot grill and season the squab with salt and pepper. Place the squab skin side down on the grill and cook until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes for medium-rare. Be sure to cook the legs an extra 2 minutes on each side. Remove the squab and keep warm.
• For the fried rice: In a medium sautee pan coated with oil, sweat the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic over medium heat for five minutes. Add the rice and the oil and saute for 3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, add the chicken stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. When the mixture begins to boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until done, then set aside. Prepare a medium saute pan over high heat. Season the foie gras with the salt and pepper, and then sear each side for about 1 minute each. Add the rice mixture to the foie gras and mix in the chives. Keep warm.
• For the syrup: In a medium saute pan, over high heat, add the oil and cook the shallots, and garlic until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the squab bones and continue cooking until brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the molasses, thyme, bay leaf and chicken stock. Cook the mixture until the liquid is reduced by 1/2, and then strain to remove the bones. Return the strained liquid to the pan, reduce by half again and set aside. Garnish: 1 teaspoon truffle oil 1 teaspoon lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 1/2 cup pea tendrils.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the truffle oil and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat the pea tendrils.
• Plating: Right before serving, whisk the butter and lemon juice into the sauce and correct the seasonings. Mound the rice at one end of a large oval platter. Place the squab breast and legs crisscrossed along the platter and place the pea tendril salad near the squab. Drizzle over the sauce.

BUTTERFLIED SQUAB WITH PIQUILLO PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the squab with salt and black pepper and place in the pan, breast-side down. Add the butter and cook the squab until the skin is golden brown. Flip the squab, and continue to cook until medium rare. Transfer to a plate and let rest.
• Drain off any excess oil from the pan, and then heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the carrots, celery and onions until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute. Increase the heat to high, and then pour in the port and red wine and cook until reduced by three-quarters, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and cook until reduced by half, then stir in the creme fraiche. Strain the sauce into a bowl, and then heat gently in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once bubbling, remove from the heat and add the parsley, thyme and piquillo peppers. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

MARINATED AND GRILLED SQUAB, QUAIL, OR CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the garlic, shallot, ginger, honey, nuoc mam, and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, stir once or twice, and cool.
• Split the birds in half-through the breastbone and backbones-and marinate them in this mixture for at least 1 hour and preferably overnight (in the refrigerator for longer marinating times).
• Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be only moderately hot and the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Drain the birds and grill them for about 6 minutes per side or until done to your taste; squab is at its best when still fairly pink. (Quail will take about the same amount of time; game hens will take about 20 minutes total). Meanwhile, mix the pepper and salt together.
• When the birds are done, drizzle them with the sesame oil and serve, passing the pepper-and-salt mixture at the table.
• Marinated and Sautéed Squab
• In step 3, drain the birds well and dry with paper towels. Place 2 tablespoons oil in one or more large skillets and turn the heat to high. Cook the birds until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for 2 to 4 minutes, or until the squab are done. (Quail will take about the same amount of time; I would not recommend doing Cornish hens this way.) Finish and serve as directed.
• Deep-Fried Squab
• This is quite a different procedure, more work, but very good. Double the amount of marinade. Bring the marinade to a boil in a large saucepan and cook the birds in it, sequentially if necessary, for about 10 minutes each. Remove and let dry on a rack (you can do this a day ahead of time; let dry in the refrigerator). When you're ready to cook, bring a large pot of corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil to about 350°F (a pinch of flour will sizzle, and the oil will thin and start to shimmer). Fry the birds, sequentially if necessary, until browned and crisp about 10 minutes. (Quail are excellent this way; reduce the initial cooking time to 5 minutes each; I would not recommend doing Cornish hens this way.) Serve with salt and pepper.

INDIAN-SPICED SQUAB

Steps:

• Combine the spices and the yogurt in a small bowl. Stuff the cavity of each squab with 1 piece of onion, 2 pieces of lime and 4 sprigs of cilantro. Dry the outside of the squab and rub the skin all over with the yogurt mixture. Marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the squab in a roasting pan and tie the legs together to close the cavities. Roast until the juices run slightly pink when pricked with a fork in the thickest part of the leg, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the string and place 1 squab on each of 4 plates. Serve with Basmati rice.