Roast Squab with Corn Cake
and Blueberry Gastrique
For the Squab:
6 – Boneless Squab cut in half length-wise 8 ounces Fennel Seeds
Butter, Salt and Ground White Pepper
Lightly roast and grind fennel seeds. Dust squab with ground fennel and season with salt and white pepper. Place on a buttered sheet pan skin side up and drizzle with additional melted butter. Broil for 5 to 7 minutes. Skin should be golden and crispy and meat should be medium rare. Serve on top of a Corn Cake, spoon gastrique around the squab and top with a basil top.
For the Blueberry Gastrique:
4 cups dry Red Wine
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Banyuls or Sherry Vinegar
4 cups fresh Blueberries
Bring wine to the boil and reduce by half. Place sugar in a clean dry copper pot. Cook over medium heat without stirring. When the sides of the pan begin to caramelize, stir with wooden spoon to even out the color. Off heat, carefully pour vinegar in caramelized sugar. Add reduced wine and berries. Return to heat and whisk until well blended. Bring to simmer and reduce until proper consistency. Season with salt and white pepper. Brighten with fresh lime juice.
For the Corn Cake:
10.5 ounces Flour
5 fluid ounces milk
5 egg yolks
6 fluid ounces heavy cream
5 eggs
40 ounces fresh corn
Puree half of the corn with milk in a food processor. Add eggs, yolks, then flour and process for 1 minute. Slowly add cream and process until thick-about 3 minutes (this may need to be done in 2 batches). Add remaining corn and season with salt and pepper. Fold in chiffonade of basil. Heat a nonstick pan add a little clarified butter or vegetable oil. Spoon batter into pan to make medium sized pancakes. Cook until golden brown on both sides