Potted Stuffed Squab Recipes

INSTANT POT® ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®), add olive oil, and select Saute function. Add sausage, onion, and bell pepper. Cook until sausage is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1/4 cup marinara sauce, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, oregano, and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
• Transfer mixture to a bowl; drain and discard any excess grease.
• Stuff each squash half with sausage mixture. Place trivet inside the pressure cooker pot and add water. Place stuffed squash halves on the trivet. Close and lock the lid; be sure vent is sealed. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 4 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method for 7 minutes. Release remaining pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 5 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid.
• Carefully transfer squash halves to a serving plate and top with remaining marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

RICE-STUFFED SQUAB

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Add the rice, mushrooms, raisins, 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and marjoram. Sprinkle cavities of squab lightly with remaining salt; stuff with rice mixture. , Place on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine oil and remaining orange juice concentrate; drizzle over squab. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 1 hour or until meat juices run clear and a thermometer inserted into the stuffing reads 165°, basting frequently.

STUFFED SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut 1-inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large saute pan over medium heat, brown the ground pork until no longer pink. Remove the meat from the pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion, celery, and carrot until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine.
• Return the pork to the pan along with the cooked rice, spinach, pine nuts, oregano and salt and pepper, to taste. Stirring constantly, heat mixture thoroughly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Divide the mixture evenly among the squash, top each squash with its lid and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Serve immediately.

POTTED STUFFED SQUAB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Arrange bread in 1 layer in a shallow dish and pour milk over it. Soak bread, turning once, just until it has absorbed most of milk, about 2 minutes. Squeeze excess milk from each slice, then tear bread into bite-size pieces, dropping them into a bowl. Discard milk.
• Melt 1/2 stick butter and add to bread along with livers, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine.
• Rinse squabs and pat dry. Chop off necks and wing tips and scatter in a large shallow baking pan. Divide stuffing among cavities of squabs, then close openings with wooden picks. Tie legs of each squab together with string and secure wings to sides with wooden picks.
• Stir together 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and rub all over squabs.
• Arrange squabs in baking pan (with necks and wing tips), without crowding, then cut remaining stick butter into 8 pieces and put 2 pieces on top of each bird.
• Roast, basting with butter from pan every 8 to 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 160°F, about 1 hour.
• Transfer squabs to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, while making sauce. Discard necks and wing tips and pour pan juices into fat separator. Let stand 1 minute to allow fat to separate from juices. Add water (1/2 cup) to pan and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan along with pan juices and 1/4 cup fat from separator and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Serve squabs with sauce on the side.

ROASTED SQUAB STUFFED WITH SHIITAKES AND PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Pre-heat an oven to 550 degrees (the highest it will go). Rub oil on the skin and season both the inside and outside with salt and pepper. In a hot skillet coat with the olive oil and sautee the shallots and shiitakes until soft, about 3 minutes. Season and set aside to cool. Mix with lemons, scallions, thyme and stuff the birds. Place birds on sheet tray and roast in the oven until crispy brown, about 8 to10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 and roast another 5 to10 minutes, depending on desired doneness, (I prefer medium rare, 7 minutes).
• Wine Recommendation: Olmos Reward, Frankland Estate, Aus