MINT & GARLIC GRILLED SQUAB

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  • 4

Ingredients

  • MINT AND GARLIC MARINATED GRILLED SQUAB OVER RICE TABBOULEH WITH SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
  • Serves 4
  • Smoked tomato vinaigrette and fresh mint make these grilled birds satisfying warm weather dining. The flavors are tangy and refreshing. The chilled tabbouleh is made with basmati rice rather than bulg
  • SQUAB
  • 4 semi-boned squab, rinsed and blotted dry
  • Rice Tabbouleh and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette (recipes follow)
  • cup olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 bunch mint, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives and julienned mint leaves, to garnish
  • RICE TABBOULEH
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
  • 1/4 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup basmati rice
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock, heated
  • 2 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 scallion, including green part, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
  • 8 plum tomatoes, cut in half crosswise and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Preparation

Step 1

SQUAB

1. Combine squab with olive oil, lemon juice, mint, garlic, shallots, and pepper in a resealable plastic bag and marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

2. Prepare Rice Tabbouleh and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette (below).

3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill. Season squab with salt and grill or sauté in olive oil until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, medium-rare. Divide tabbouleh among 4 plates. Place squab on tabbouleh and spoon tomato vinaigrette over. Dribble on chive-mint mixture.


RICE TABBOULEH

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Heat 1½ tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until transparent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and sauté for 30 seconds. Add hot stock and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cover pan with buttered parchment or wax paper and bake in oven until all liquid is absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes, fluff with fork to separate. Rice will not be tender.

3. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool. Stir in tomatoes, parsley, scallion, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let sit for at least 2 hours to soften. Taste again before serving.


SMOKED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

1. Preheat oven to 250° F.

2. Toss tomatoes with extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake them skin side down on a rack in a shallow baking pan until they are about half size but still juicy, about 2½ to 3 hours.

3. Remove tomatoes, add chipotle pepper, and finely chop. Combine tomatoes with olive oil, vinegar, and season with coarse salt to taste.

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