Best Grilled Spiced Squab Recipes

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.

TEA-SMOKED SQUAB

Steps:

• Rinse and dry the squabs thoroughly.
• Place the salt, peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon sticks in a dry skillet and toast by shaking over medium heat until the mixture begins to smoke and the salt begins to turn brown. Allow to cool. Discard the star anise and cinnamon and rub salt and peppercorns over the squabs, inside and out. Cover the squabs loosely and set in a cool place or in the refrigerator for eight hours or overnight.
• Place the squabs, breast side down, on a heat-proof plate. Place in a steamer or a covered wok fitted with a rack and steam 30 minutes. Allow squabs to cool, then rub with soy sauce.
• Cover the bottom of a wok with aluminum foil. Place the rice, brown sugar and tea in it. Place a rack in the wok and arrange the squabs breast side up on the rack. Line the cover of the wok with foil, cover the wok and seal the edge of the cover with dampened paper towels to keep the smoke from escaping.
• Turn the heat to medium high and when you smell smoke leave the heat on for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep the birds in the covered wok for 45 minutes.
• In a large wok or deep fryer heat the oil, add the squabs one at a time and deep fry them for five minutes to crisp the skin. Pat dry with paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SIXTEEN SPICE RUBBED SQUAB SALAD WITH AGED GOAT CHEESE, WHITE CHICORY AND WILD MUSHROOM "VINAIGRETTE"

Steps:

• Season breasts with salt on both sides. Dredge breasts in the rub, skin side down only, tapping off any excess. Heat oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Cook the squab, rub-side down, in the pan until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes for medium doneness. Divide the white chicory among 4 plates. Slice the squab on the bias into 4 slices and arrange on top of the chicory. Sprinkle with the goat cheese. Ladle the Wild Mushroom Vinaigrette lightly over the greens and squab and around the plate. Garnish with chopped chives.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Will keep stored in an airtight container for 6 months.
• Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown. Whisk together the vinegar, shallot and mustard in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified, whisk in the truffle oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Fold in the mushrooms and set aside.

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.

SQUAB WITH MUSHROOMS AND PEARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together bacon, pear and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper.
• Rinse and dry squabs. Rub with butter. Stuff cavity of each with 3 sprigs thyme, 3 sage leaves and a clove of garlic. Place in baking dish and roast for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and roast 10 minutes more. Remove from oven. Wrap each squab in foil to keep warm.
• Stir wine into baking dish, scraping the bottom. Spread the mushroom mixture into the baking dish and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in stock. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees. Unwrap squabs and place them on top of the mushroom mixture. Return the baking dish to the oven for 5 minutes.
• Remove squabs to a cutting board. Spread mushroom mixture, including any juices in the pan, on a warm serving platter. Using poultry or kitchen shears, or a sharp heavy knife, cut the squabs in quarters. Arrange on the platter and garnish with thyme sprigs.

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.