Bones_ Recipes, History, and Lore - Jennifer McLagan [72]
2. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the birds on all sides. Turn the birds on their backs, place in the oven, and roast for 25 minutes, or until the temperature in the thigh registers 155T (68°C).
3. While the squab roast, juice the zested orange. You need 1 cup (250 ml) juice; if necessary, squeeze the second orange. Trim the remaining 8 figs and cut them into quarters.
4. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the cooked birds to a warm platter, breast side down, and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let them rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remembering that the pan handle will be very hot, discard the fat from the pan. Add the stock and juice, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the heat, add the figs, and cook until they start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the figs to a plate and cover to keep them warm. Continue to cook the sauce until reduced to about ½ cup (125 ml); strain.
5. Remove the strings from the birds and place them, with the figs, onto plates. Spoon over the sauce.
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Removing the Wishbone
This is a fiddly job, but worth the effort, especially with smaller birds. Feel around with your fingers in the neck of the bird to locate the wishbone. Using a small knife, cut through the meat to expose both forks of the bone. Cut through where the top of the bone joins the breastbone, and then pull the bone toward you to free the wishbone from the collarbone.
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PERSIAN WISHBONES
In Iran, there is game played with wishbones that has elements of the British tradition. A bet, usually involving a service or money, is made before the wishbone is broken. The winner, in order to receive the service or sum demanded, is required to say,” Yadam” (I remember, in Persian) each time the loser hands him anything at all. If he forgets, the game is over. A winner with a good memory can keep the game going for days or weeks. A crafty loser, on the other hand, will try every trick he can think of to end the game. For example, he may pretend to drop something, hoping that the winner will instinctively grab it and forget to say yadam.
Chicken with Morel Cream Sauce
Although I prefer to buy whole chickens, it’s hard to pass up the deals on chicken thighs and legs. In this recipe I use both dried and fresh mushrooms to intensify the flavor. Morels, a spring mushroom, love cream. When they are out of season, replace them with cremini (brown button) mushrooms.
Morels need careful handling because their honeycomb-textured caps trap sand and their hollow in-sides are popular with insects. Rinse fresh ones well under cold, running water and cut them lengthwise in half to clean. After soaking the dried ones, strain the liquid, carefully discarding the debris at the bottom of the bowl.
¼ ounce (15 g) dried morels
8 bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ tablespoon (7 g) unsalted butter
1 cup (250 ml) dry sherry
1 cup (250 ml) heavy (35 %) whipping cream
5 ounces (150 g) fresh mushrooms, preferably morels
Chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish
1. Rinse the dried morels and place them in a small bowl. Pour over ¼ cup (175 ml) boiling water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes.
2. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large heavy frying pan, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the chicken skin side down and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes total. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate and discard the fat from the pan.
3. Pour the sherry into the pan, being careful it doesn’t catch alight, and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Continue to boil until the sherry is reduced by half. Meanwhile, remove the morels from the bowl, then carefully strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve; discarding any sand in the bottom of the bowl. Add the mushroom