ROAST SQUAB

Ingredients

• 1 whole bird squab (young pigeon), whole (Ask your butcher for a plump, oven-ready squab. If it has not already been cleaned, remove any pin feathers and trim the neck and feet.)
• 2 livers chicken livers (Trim away any green-tinged spots or connective tissue before chopping.)
• 12 mushrooms fresh mushrooms (Any variety works — button or cremini are easy to find. Wipe clean with a damp cloth rather than washing, which makes them soggy.)
• 1 tablespoon Chinese almonds (sweet almonds), blanched and chopped fine (Chinese sweet almonds are traditional here. To blanch: pour boiling water over the almonds, leave 1 minute, drain, then slip off the skins. Chop finely once cool. Regular blanched almonds are an acceptable substitute if unavailable.)
• 1 tablespoon chicken fat (Used for basting the squab. Rendered chicken fat (schmaltz) can be found at butchers or specialty stores. In a pinch, use the fat skimmed from chicken stock.)
• 1 teaspoon chicken fat (A separate, smaller portion of chicken fat used for frying the chicken livers for the gravy.)
• 2 tablespoons syou (soy sauce) (Syou is the historical spelling of soy sauce (shoyu). Use any standard light or all-purpose soy sauce.)
• 1 teaspoon salt (Used to season the squab inside and out before roasting.)
• 0.25 small onion small onion, quarter portion only (Use only one quarter of a small onion. Mince it finely so it blends into the stuffing.)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (Used to thicken and bind the liver gravy. Stir it in dry directly into the pan.)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F / Gas Mark 7) — this is what 'hot oven' means. If your squab has not been cleaned by the butcher, remove any remaining pin feathers by gripping them with kitchen tweezers or your fingers and pulling firmly. To singe off fine hairs, briefly pass the bird over a gas flame or a lit match held at a safe distance — work quickly so you do not cook the skin. Pat the bird dry inside and out with paper towel. Rub 1 teaspoon of salt all over the outside skin and inside the cavity. Set aside. Meanwhile, blanch the almonds if not already done: place 1 tablespoon of Chinese almonds in a small bowl, pour over enough boiling water to cover, leave for 1 minute, then drain. Slip off the skins by pinching each almond between your fingers. Chop the blanched almonds finely on a chopping board and set aside.
2. 2Clean the 12 mushrooms by wiping each one with a damp cloth or paper towel — do not rinse them under water as this makes them watery. Remove and discard the stems (or save for stock). Peel the caps if the skin feels tough, then cut each mushroom into small pieces roughly 1 cm in size. Mince the quarter onion as finely as you can — aim for tiny pieces so there are no large chunks in the stuffing. In a bowl, combine the chopped mushrooms, the finely chopped blanched almonds, and the minced onion. Mix together with a spoon until evenly combined.
3. 3Spoon the mushroom stuffing mixture into the cavity of the salted squab, packing it in gently but firmly. Do not overfill — leave a little room as the stuffing may expand during cooking. To close the cavity, you have two options: (1) Sew it shut — thread a trussing needle with kitchen twine and stitch across the opening, pulling the skin together; or (2) Skewer it shut — push a metal or wooden skewer horizontally through the flap of skin on one side of the opening, then loop kitchen twine in a figure-of-eight around the skewer and the opposite skin flap and tie it firmly. Either method keeps the stuffing inside during roasting. Tuck the wing tips behind the bird's back to prevent them burning.
4. 4Melt 1 tablespoon of chicken fat in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave in a small bowl for 20–30 seconds. Pour the melted chicken fat all over the outside of the stuffed squab, using a pastry brush or a spoon to coat it evenly — this helps the skin brown and stay moist. Place the squab breast-side up on a small roasting rack set inside a roasting tin or oven-safe dish. Place in the preheated oven (220°C / 425°F). Roast for 30 minutes in total. Every 7–8 minutes, open the oven, carefully tilt or turn the bird (using tongs or oven gloves), and spoon or brush any pan juices or remaining fat back over the bird — this is called basting. Turn the bird onto each side partway through, finishing breast-side up for the last few minutes. The squab is done when the skin is deep golden brown and the juices run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer.
5. 5While the squab roasts, prepare the gravy. Trim any connective tissue or greenish spots from the 2 chicken livers, then chop them as finely as possible — almost a mince — using a sharp knife on a chopping board. Place a small frying pan or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of chicken fat. When the fat has melted and the pan is hot (it will shimmer), add the minced chicken livers. Spread them out in the pan and leave undisturbed for 1–2 minutes to allow them to brown, then stir and continue cooking. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the livers are very deeply browned — almost dark — about 4–5 minutes total. The strong browning here is intentional and gives the gravy its deep flavour.
6. 6With the pan still on medium-high heat and the livers very brown, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cornstarch directly into the pan over the livers. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula, making sure the cornstarch coats the liver pieces and catches in the fat. Keep stirring for about 1 minute until the cornstarch turns light brown and smells slightly toasty — this cooks out the raw starch flavour and thickens the gravy.
7. 7Remove the roasted squab from the oven and let it rest for 2–3 minutes on the roasting rack before serving — this helps the juices settle. Meanwhile, pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (syou) into the pan with the browned livers and cornstarch. Stir well over medium heat for about 30 seconds — the sauce will bubble, thicken, and turn glossy. If it seems very thick, you can add a tiny splash of water to loosen it, though the original recipe does not call for this. Remove the skewer or cut away the trussing twine from the squab. Spoon the chicken liver gravy over the squab or serve it alongside in a small bowl. Serve immediately.