Thanksgiving, our only gastronomically oriented holiday, is upon us, and once again it’s turkey time. But not in every home. In some cases, the absence of Benjamin Franklin’s nominee for our national bird can be traced to outright turkeyphobia. In others, singles or couples-or families who don’t consider leftovers fit to eat-may consider even a small turkey too big.
I’m a turkey man myself and maybe even more of a turkey-leftover man. But this is a time of compassion and giving, so after suppressing an instinct to say, “Let them eat meat loaf,” I have gathered a trio of recipes for flavorful smaller game birds-squab, pheasant and quail-that are special enough to highlight a holiday meal.
As a tribute to our English heritage, the squabs (or Cornish game hens) are cooked in a pie with potatoes, eggs and onions and flavored with thyme and thick-cut bacon. Chef Jean Joho, whose Everest restaurant atop the Midwest Stock Exchange offers a view toward the heart of the Heartland, reveals a trick to ensure that elegant Midwestern pheasants come to the table fork-tender, along with a marvelous sauce. Finally, for those who like their birds really small and want to keep preparation to minimum, a recipe for broiled quail with mustard butter.
SQUAB PIE
Four servings
3 squabs or 2 cornish game hens, at room temperature
3 cups chicken stock or broth
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
5 or 6 peppercorns
Salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika, or 1/4 teaspoon regular paprika plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 new potatoes (about 3/4 pound), peeled and sliced thin
3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
20 to 24 pearl onions, blanched for 5 minutes and peeled
2 new potatoes (about 3/4 pound), peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika, or 1/4 teaspoon regular paprika plus 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 sheet puff pastry, at room temperature
1. Peel skin from squabs, then remove wing tips, breast and thigh bones, leaving drumstick bones intact. Reserve innards. Quarter each squab.
2. Place bones, including necks, in a saucepan. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove scum that rises to the surface, then add bay leaves, 1 sprig thyme, peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours, adding more stock or water as needed. (Alternatively, prepare stock in a pressure cooker.) Strain and let cool.
3. In a glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine squab pieces, innards, garlic, 1 sprig thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover and place in the refrigerator until stock is finished.
4. Saute bacon pieces until brown but not crisp. Drain on paper towels. (Recipe may be done ahead to this point.)
5. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine leaves from remaining sprig of thyme with parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and paprika. In a 2-quart baking dish or souffle mold, make a layer of potato slices, top with squab pieces, then bacon, chopped egg, onions and herb mixture. Repeat until all ingredients are in place. Finish with a layer of potatoes. Gradually pour cooled stock over all.
6. Cover baking dish with the sheet of puff pastry, trimming and crimping the edges. Cut a vent hole in the center. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour. If crust becomes brown too quickly, cover with foil wrap.
7. Serve with a green vegetable such as Brussels sprouts and a spicy wine such as pinot noir or a lighter-style zinfandel.
BROILED QUAIL WITH MUSTARD BUTTER
Two servings
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 thin slices French bread, cut on a bias
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
1 teaspoon wild honey
1/2 tablespoon roasted garlic puree+
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 partially boned quail
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
1 bunch watercress, trimmed, for garnish
+To make roasted garlic puree, cut off the top fourth of a whole head. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until garlic is very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool, then squeeze pulp out of husks.
1. In a skillet, melt 1 1/2 tablespoons and saute the bread slices on both sides until golden brown. Set aside.
2. Melt remaining butter, then combine it with the mustard, honey, garlic and lemon juice and slather over quail. Season quail lightly with salt and pepper. Marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.
3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove quails from marinade. Place birds, breast side down, in a broiler pan. Tuck wings behind back, then cross and tie legs. Bake quail for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn oven to broil. Turn quail over, paint breast side with marinade and broil until golden brown but still juicy, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and keep warm.
4. Atop the stove, add wine, stock and remaining marinade to the pan juices. Turn a burner to high and reduce to a light sauce consistency, stirring constantly. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5. To serve, place bread rounds on warm plates and arrange birds on top. Surround with watercress sprigs. Drizzle reduced pan juices over quail and serve immediately. Pour a fruity red wine such as merlot or Dolcetto from Italy.
-From “American Game Cooking,” by John Ash and Sid Goldstein
JEAN JOHO’S ROASTED PHEASANT WITH HONEY AND VINEGAR
Two to four servings
1 pheasant (about 3 pounds)
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil
2 teaspoons flower honey
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons port wine
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Season pheasant with salt and pepper, inside and out. Pour a film of vegetable oil onto a roasting pan. Heat pan atop the stove until oil just begins to smoke. Place pheasant in the pan and brown for a minute on both sides, then place pan in the oven.
2. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn pheasant onto its other side and pour off accumulated fat. Roast 10 minutes longer, then turn pheasant onto its back and roast 5 additional minutes.
3. Remove bird from oven and wrap it in aluminum foil. Set aside for 20 minutes to soften and tenderize the meat.
4. Meanwhile, pour off any remaining fat and set the pan over a burner atop the stove. Add honey, wine vinegar, sugar and port. Reduce liquid, stirring, until mixture becomes a syrup. Add chicken stock and stir to deglaze pan. Bring to a boil and continue cooking until about 1/3 cup remains. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Carve pheasant or cut it into quarters, removing the backbone. Stir butter into reduced pan juices and spoon over meat. Serve immediately with rice, green beans and a rich chardonnay or Champagne.
