Global Holiday Recipe: Squab with Roasted Pear and Garlic

Holiday Feature

Squab with Roasted Pear and Garlic

Cornish game hens or quail can be used in place of the squab. Game hens will take longer, 35 to 45 minutes, and quail will take a little less.

8 squab

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced, plus 2 whole pears
1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Rinse the squab and pat dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Mix together the diced pear, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic, sage, parsley, thyme, and butter. Stuff loosely into the birds. Close openings with toothpicks or skewers.

In a Dutch oven or large stovetop casserole over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and brown the squab on all sides. Remove the squab from the pan and set aside. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to loosen cooked bits from the pan. Add the chicken stock and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Return the squab to the pan.

Peel, halve, and core the remaining 2 pears. Add them to the baking dish and roast, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a sharp knife into the thigh. If the juices are pink, it needs to cook longer. If the juices run clear, it is done.

Transfer the squab and pear halves to a serving platter. Strain the pan juices and serve on the side. Serves 4.

From:
Parmigiano!
by Pamela Sheldon Johns
1997, Ten Speed Press
$17.95
Reprinted by permission