Pan Fried Squab With Apricot Glaze And Cornbread Stuffing Recipes

PAN SEARED SQUAB WITH RICE DRESSING AND PORT REDUCTION

Steps:

• Sauce: Reduce the port with the shallots and thyme sprigs until 1/4 cup remains. Add the poultry stock and reduce by 1/3. Strain and reserve. Before serving bring to a boil and reduce until thick and glossy, and the last minute mount in the foie gras into the boiling sauce and season.
• Rice: Sweat 1/2 cup onions in melted butter and add rice. Lightly toast rice coating evenly with butter and onions. Add hot stock and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the rice is tender. Cool on a lined sheet tray. Store until needed. Cut up hearts and gizzards into small pieces, trim off sinew. Place in small sauce pot, cover by 2 inches with cold water with a bay leaf and crushed garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Clean the livers, free from veins and dry on paper towels. In a large saute pan add peanut oil when hot season livers with salt and cayenne and quickly sear them on both sides. Set them aside to cool. Add onions, celery and garlic to the pan. Using a wood spoon, scrape the fond off the pan as the vegetables cook. Season with salt and pepper. When vegetables are tender, deglaze with brandy, allow alcohol to burn off. Scape everything out of the pan and store with the livers. When all ingredients are cooled, hearts, gizzards, livers, and vegetables place them all in a food processor. Puree until smooth paste results. Store dirty rice base under refrigeration at all times. In a sauce pan place 4 tablespoons base with rice and 8 ounces of stock, heat through. Add green onions and chopped parsley.
• Pan seared squab: Remove each side of the squab in one piece. Snip the wing tips off. In a hot saute pan add 2 tablespoons olive oil when oil begins to ripple place squab, skin side down or 6 to 8 minutes or until skin is a nice even golden brown. Turn to sear on other side for 8 to ten minutes. If not cooked through place in oven to finish. Mound rice on preheated plates and lay squab decoratively. Drizzle with port reduction.

HATCH CHILE CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a medium-sized bowl stir together milk, corn, butter and eggs.
• In a large bowl whisk together cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add mixture from the medium-sized bowl to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the cheese and chile.
• Pour into the baking pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool and tear it into small pieces and allow to dry over night.
• In a saute pan, saute the onions, celery, figs and pinon nuts until golden brown. Add the corn bread mixture and stock and mix until just combined. Keep warm.

GRANDMA'S CORN BREAD DRESSING

Steps:

• Prepare the dry corn bread mix according to package directions. Cool and crumble.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the celery and onion until soft.
• In a large bowl, combine the celery, onions, 3 cups crumbled corn bread, eggs, chicken stock, sage and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.
• Place into prepared dish and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes.

PAN-ROASTED SQUAB WITH SPRING GARLIC COMPOTE

Steps:

• Remove the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks from the squab and reserve. Using a large chef's knife, chop the bodies and wings into 3 or 4 pieces. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the squab bones and parts and sauté until well browned. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic cloves. Cook until softened and lightly colored, 6 to 8 minutes in all, then add 2 cups of the wine. Continue to cook until reduced by three-quarters, 6 to 8 minutes, then add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. You should end up with about 2 cups liquid. Discard the solids. Put the liquid in a clean saucepan and reduce until syrupy, or 1/4 cup total; the timing will vary depending on your stove and pan, but will be about 15 minutes.
• To make the compote, cut the spring garlic bulbs from the stems, then slice crosswise 1/8 inch thick. Film a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat over high heat. Fry the garlic until crisp and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour off the oil. Add the remaining 1 cup wine to the pan and cook over medium heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Add the honey and cook until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 4 to 5 minutes. Reserve at room temperature.
• In a large sauté pan over high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil on high heat and fry the squab breasts, thighs, and drumsticks skin-side down first, putting a light weight on the breasts or pressing with a spatula, for about 3 minutes. Turn the pieces and cook for 2 minutes longer, then turn once more to crisp the skin and finish cooking. Breasts should be served medium-rare, while thighs and drumsticks are cooked through. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
• When ready to serve, reheat the sauce and season with salt and pepper. Divide the compote among 4 plates and place the squab pieces on top. Spoon the sauce around the squab and serve.

SQUAB WITH YOUNG MORELS, ROAST GARLIC AND SAGE POLENTA

Steps:

• In small sauce pan saute shallots and chopped garlic in oil. Once they are soft, but not brown, transfer to a one-pint measuring cup. Add wine, bay leaves, thyme and peppercorns. In a nonreactive baking dish place squab, breast down, along bottom. Pour shallot marinade oven squab, cover, and refrigerate overnight. In a preheated 375 degree oven, place squab, breast-side up in baking dish. Discard marinade. Roast squab for 40 - 50 minutes, or until juices of breast meat turn clear when you poke with a fork. Serve with roasted garlic and polenta.
• For the Roast Garlic and Sage Polenta: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In bowl toss garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil and roast in oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool. Peel cloves. In large saucepan add chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a boil and let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside, preferably overnight. Remove garlic from broth, set aside, and bring broth to a boil. Slowly add the cornmeal, whisking constantly until fully incorporated, and mixture thickens. Lower heat and cook polenta for 20 minutes, stirring periodically. Add butter, creme fraiche, sage, salt, and pepper just before serving. Stir well to incorporate. In large saute pan saute morels in remaining oil over a high heat. Serve with squab.

HOLIDAY HENS WITH FIG GLAZE AND CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Begin by re-hydrating the figs. In a large mixing bowl add the figs, honey, lemon juice and cover with warm water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 20 to 25 minutes until the figs are tender and soft. Strain the figs and reserve the liquid - as this will be the base for the glaze.
• To make the stuffing, heat a little extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat and gently saute the onions with rosemary. Add the sweet Italian sausage and continue to saute until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. When done, scrape it all into a large mixing bowl, add the cornbread pieces and figs and season well with salt and pepper. Give it a good toss until it's well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, and stock, and pour that over the cornbread. Stir the stuffing together and set it aside while you work on the hens.
• Wash and clean the birds. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and fill with stuffing. Dot the top of each bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Lay out on a roasting tray and pop into the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. While they are roasting, set the fig liquid over medium-high heat and add balsamic and butter. Reduce until syrupy and baste the birds with 10 minutes to go. When done, an instant-read thermometer should registers 160 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.