Lacquered Squab W Gingered Cabbage And Fennel Pear Puree Recipes

Steps:

• For the Sichuan pepper-salt:.
• In a small heavy-bottomed pot, slowly roast the salt and peppercorns over low-medium heat until very aromatic, about 20 minutes.
• Cool; grind in a spice grinder and sift through fine sieve and set aside.
• For the Fennel-Pear Purée:.
• Combine the fennel, pears, verjus, anise, sugar and salt in a heavy-bottom pot.
• Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until everything is very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the star anise and purée in a high-speed blender until smooth.
• Adjust the seasoning and pass through a fine sieve and keep warm until ready to serve (should be about i cup of puree).
• For the Gingered Napa Cabbage.
• Chop the cabbage and radicchio into 1-inch dice.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet over low heat.
• Sauté the cabbage, spinach and radicchio separately until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes each.
• While the cabbage and radicchio are sautéing, use a mortar and pestle to reduce the ginger, garlic and scallions to a paste.
• Return all the sautéed greens to the pan.
• Add the ginger, garlic and scallion paste to the greens and cook until aromatic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the raisins, vinegar, salt and sugar. Remove from the stove and dress with sesame oil (should be about 2 cups of the cabbage mixture).
• For the Squab and assembly.
• One hour before cooking, season the squab on both sides with the Sichuan pepper-salt (use as much as you like--at least 1/2 teaspoon).
• Put the honey in a heavy-bottomed sauce pot and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until it becomes reduced and thick. Set aside.
• Grill the squabs, skin side down over high heat until golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Turn; sear the other sides for 1 to 2 minutes and then rest the squab on a plate for 5 minutes (the squab will be medium-rare).
• Brush the skin sides with a thin coat of warm honey.
• Return it to the hot grill before serving to lightly caramelize the skin for 1 minute on each side.
• Carve the squabs, slicing the breast meat.
• On a serving platter, make a line of the hot fennel-pear purée from one end to the other. Arrange the gingered cabbage in the center and the carved squabs around it.
• Arrange the legs standing up against the cabbage.
• Sprinkle Sichuan pepper-salt on the sliced breast.
• Dust the plate with Chinese 5-spice powder.

Steps:

• For the glaze: Add the sugar to an unheated rondeau. Gently heat the pan, stirring constantly, to create a dry caramel. Stop the cooking process by adding the champagne vinegar. Cook and reduce by half. Add white port, and again reduce by half. Add white wine, and again reduce by half. Add the orange and lemon zest, cinnamon sticks, and pomegranate juice. Cook and reduce by half. Strain. Transfer liquid to a clean saucepot and reduce until it is a syrupy consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• For the vegetables: Heat 2 saute pans, and put 1 tablespoon of corn oil in each. Add the plantains to 1, and toss to coat. Add the butter to the pan, and sprinkle with sugar and a dash each of salt and pepper. Note: If the plantains are extremely ripe, which is ideal, you can omit the sugar: the plantains will contain enough. Continue to cook until the plaintains are golden, then remove them to a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Next, heat the other tablespoon of oil in the other pan and add the long beans. Coat them with the oil. Add the shallots and bacon, and cook all until tender. Add the carmelized plaintains to the pan, toss everything together, and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
• For the squab liver: In a saute pan, heat corn oil. Pan sear the liver to a rosy hue. Remove from heat.
• For the squab: Season the squab with salt and pepper. Heat a small rondeau, add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and heat to the oil's smoking point. Place the squab in the pan, and cook on each side until a golden brown color is achieved. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 12 minutes. Debone the squab so that you have 2 sections of meat, each consisting of half the breast meat and the meat of 1 leg. Heat a clean rondeau, and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil. Cook the squab meat until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp. After 2 minutes, add the butter. When all steam has evaporated and the butter begins to bubble, baste the squab for 3 minutes. Remove from the rondeau and allow to rest. With a kitchen brush, coat the squab with the pomegranate glaze. Plate with warmed vegetables, and garnish with mint.

Steps:

• 1. Place cabbage in large bowl and cover with cold water; let stand for 3 minutes. Drain cabbage well and set aside. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add fennel bulb and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer fennel mixture to small bowl. 2. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil, and heat until shimmering. Add cabbage and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, without stirring, until cabbage is wilted and lightly browned on bottom, about 3 minutes. 3. Stir and continue to cook, uncovered, until cabbage is crisp-tender and lightly browned in places, about 4 minutes longer, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in fennel mixture, reserved fennel fronds, and lemon juice. Season with salt to taste, transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve.