Name: Squab braised with juniper
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 squab (about 500gm each); 40 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 100 ml Cognac; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 6 golden shallots, thinly sliced; 12 juniper berries, crushed; 250 ml pouring cream (1 cup); 1 tbsp sour cream; To taste: lemon juice

Squab braised with juniper

Australian Gourmet Traveller French alpine recipe for squab braised with juniper.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

30M

Total

50M

Game birds such as squab are often thought of as difficult to cook because they lack the fat of chicken and can dry out easily. The golden rule is to avoid cooking them all the way through; aim to just under-cook and the results will be superb.

Ingredients

4 squab (about 500gm each)

40 gm butter, coarsely chopped

100 ml Cognac

2 onions, thinly sliced

6 golden shallots, thinly sliced

12 juniper berries, crushed

250 ml pouring cream (1 cup)

1 tbsp sour cream

To taste: lemon juice

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Wash squab under cold running water, pat dry, inside and out, with absorbent paper, then season to taste.

2.Heat butter in a large, deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat, add squab and turn occasionally until browned (4-5 minutes). Add Cognac and cook until reduced completely (1-2 minutes), then transfer squab to a roasting pan and set aside.

3.Add onion, shallot and juniper berries to pan and sauté over low-medium heat until onion is soft (5-6 minutes), then transfer to roasting pan with squab and roast until medium-rare (18-20 minutes).

4.Transfer squab to a serving dish and keep warm. Add pouring cream to pan and cook over high heat until reduced to a coating consistency (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat, stir through sour cream and lemon juice, season to taste, then spoon over squab and serve with raviules and glazed baby turnips and carrots.