A glazed squab
Grill it over indirect heat for superior results
The beauty of squab is that it cooks so quickly. The meat, richly flavored and all dark, is at its succulent best when rare. To get good browning, this means the birds have to cook at high heat ― which introduces a problem. The fatty layer under the skin drips and smokes in the oven or catches fire on the barbecue. The solution: grill over indirect heat.
Serve the hot birds on tender salad leaves mixed with other leaves that have a little bite, such as arugula, frisée, or slivered Belgian endive or radicchio. Dress the salad with an extra batch of the squab marinade; the juices of the birds mingle deliciously with it.
Squab, or young pigeons, are about 1 pound each ― dressed weight. You may have to order them a couple of days ahead at the supermarket, but both fresh and frozen birds are usually easy to get.
