roasted squab with vegetables I created this dish for my husband, Henry, on his birthday. Henry loves squab! Perfectly glistening roasted birds on a bed of vegetables makes for a gorgeous presentation. Be careful not to overcook squab: cook medium rare for a rich, tender, and juicy bird. Leftover squab is delicious cold the next day.
4 squab, 1 pound each, cleaned Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons duck fat (or other cooking fat) ½ pound carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks ½ pound turnips, quartered ½ pound ramps, trimmed, or substitute leeks and spring onions White wine Butter
Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat squab dry and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat duck fat in a large ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Brown all sides of the squab. Once browned, set aside, backs down. In same pan, add carrots and turnips. Toss in hot duck fat, adding salt and pepper to taste. Top with a layer of ramps (if bulbs are well developed, split lengthwise in half up to the green). Set squab on top of veggies. Transfer to oven and roast uncovered until the thigh temperature registers 140°F, about 25 minutes. The juices will run a rosy color. Remove pan from oven and transfer squab to a plate to rest about 10 minutes. Transfer ramps and veggies to a platter. Drain off excess oil and juices from pan to a heatproof cup and allow to separate. Deglaze roasting pan with a splash of white wine. Scrape up all the brown bits. Return separated pan juices to roasting pan. Add 1 or 2 pats of butter to pan and stir. Taste sauce and adjust for salt and pepper. To serve, make a bed of ramps on the plate, top with the squab (can be cut in half if desired), side dress with veggies, and drizzle the whole thing with sauce. Serves 4
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