Roasted Squab Stuffed With Shiitakes And Preserved Lemons Recipes

QUICK PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Slice lemons 1/8-inch thick. Layer half the lemon slices and shallots in a pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup salt. Repeat layering process with remaining ingredients. Cover the pan with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the top layer of lemons. Leave the pan overnight or up to 48 hours. Rinse the lemon slices and use as you would preserved lemons.;

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Soak the lemons for 2 days before preparing this recipe. Change the water twice.
• Remove the nut end of the lemon (the end that attaches the lemon to the tree). Slice a cross two-thirds of the way up the lemon. Fill with rock salt, don't be shy. Place into glass jar. Repeat this process until there are enough lemons compacted into the glass jar. Make sure there is enough room (about 1/4 of the jar) left at the top to accommodate any excess juices from the lemons. Secure tightly with the lid and place in a cool dark place for at least a month.
• Some people add 1/2 cup of fresh water to encourage the process of preservation, with the addition of olive oil to act as a sealant on top of the lemons. These last two processes are not necessary. Some people also add cinnamon sticks and cloves or black peppercorns, it entirely depends on your individual taste. Simple is best.
• The lemons will then be preserved and ready to use. They last for about 4 years.
• Remember not to use a jar with a metal lid as this will affect the preserving process and the metal may erode.

FIVE-DAY PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Make incisions in lemon peel at 1-inch intervals, do not cut into flesh. Place lemons in heavily salted water, to cover, in stainless pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peel is soft. Drain and save cooking liquid. Put blanched lemons into canning jars or ceramic containers. Cover with cooling liquid and lemon juice, if necessary. To each 2-quart (or larger) jar add cinnamon sticks, coriander seed, black peppercorns, cloves and bay leaves. Let sit for 5 days to develop flavor. Turn upside down each day to distribute spices. It is very important to cover lemons with liquid. Push them down with a spoon to release juice, then add cooking liquid or fresh lemon juice to cover if necessary.

POTTED STUFFED SQUAB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Arrange bread in 1 layer in a shallow dish and pour milk over it. Soak bread, turning once, just until it has absorbed most of milk, about 2 minutes. Squeeze excess milk from each slice, then tear bread into bite-size pieces, dropping them into a bowl. Discard milk.
• Melt 1/2 stick butter and add to bread along with livers, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring to combine.
• Rinse squabs and pat dry. Chop off necks and wing tips and scatter in a large shallow baking pan. Divide stuffing among cavities of squabs, then close openings with wooden picks. Tie legs of each squab together with string and secure wings to sides with wooden picks.
• Stir together 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and rub all over squabs.
• Arrange squabs in baking pan (with necks and wing tips), without crowding, then cut remaining stick butter into 8 pieces and put 2 pieces on top of each bird.
• Roast, basting with butter from pan every 8 to 10 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 160°F, about 1 hour.
• Transfer squabs to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, while making sauce. Discard necks and wing tips and pour pan juices into fat separator. Let stand 1 minute to allow fat to separate from juices. Add water (1/2 cup) to pan and deglaze by boiling, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan along with pan juices and 1/4 cup fat from separator and simmer, whisking, until emulsified, about 1 minute. Serve squabs with sauce on the side.

MOROCCAN BRISKET WITH OLIVES, TOMATOES, ONIONS, AND PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• With a knife, pierce the skin of the brisket in 5 places and insert the garlic cloves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy skillet or roasting pan, add the meat, sear on all sides and remove.
• Add 2 more tablespoons of the oil to the same pan and saute 3/4 of the onions (about 6 cups) until they are limp. Add the turmeric, ginger, white pepper, bay leaves, celery, 1/3 of the diced tomatoes, and water to the pan. Stir-fry a minute or 2 and let cool.
• Place the brisket in a baking pan and surround with the cooked vegetables. Roast, covered, in the oven for 3 hours or until a fork goes in and out of the meat easily. Remove, cool and refrigerate, reserving the vegetables. You can prepare this a day ahead of time.
• Tomato-Onion Sauce: Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the frying pan; add the remaining onions and saute until onions are translucent. Then add the remaining diced tomatoes and simmer, covered, for a few minutes. Set aside or refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve the meat.
• When ready to serve, remove any fat that accumulated on the brisket as it cooled. Cut, against the grain, into slices about 1/4-inch thick. Return the slices to the baking pan along with the reserved vegetables in which the meat was cooked. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and reheat the brisket, covered, for about 30 minutes.
• Add to the tomato-onion mixture, olives, preserved lemons and 2 tablespoons each of parsley and cilantro and heat in small saucepan. Remove the brisket and some, or all, of the vegetables to a serving platter and serve, covered with the tomato-onion sauce and garnished with the remaining parsley and cilantro.
• Cut 7 of the lemons lengthwise, almost into quarters, leaving them intact at one end. You can also slice them thin.
• Using your fingers, stuff as much salt as possible inside the lemons, close them, and place in sterilized wide-mouth 2 quart jar. Squeeze the juice of at least 4 lemons into the jar. Allow to stand, half covered, at least 1 week on the counter, shaking the bottle each day, or until the peels sink with the weight of the salt in the jar. Then add a few more salted lemons, lemon juice, and, if you like, olive oil to cover.
• Close the jar and leave out on the counter for at least 3 weeks before using. When using the lemons, merely rinse with water, remove the seeds, and chop up for your recipes. Refrigerate after opening.

STUFFED SQUASH WITH PRESERVED-LEMON GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat a dry large skillet over high. Cook olives, shaking pan occasionally, until blistered and starting to char, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in same skillet and add red onion, parsnips, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are charred and slightly softened, 7-9 minutes. Stir in cumin, ginger, and allspice and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Scrape vegetables into bowl with olives.
• Toast barley in same skillet over medium heat (no need to add more oil), stirring often, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Stir in olive brine and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Pour in 2 cups water, bring to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until water is absorbed, 18-20 minutes (barley will not be fully cooked). Transfer barley to bowl with vegetables. Add figs and apricots and toss stuffing to combine. Do ahead: Stuffing can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Using a pairing knife, cut out a wide circle around squash stem to create a lid (like preparing a jack-o'-lantern); remove lid. Scrape seeds and strings from squash cavity and bottom of lid with a spoon. Place squash on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Using a pastry brush or your hands, coat inside and outside of squash, including lid, with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil (you may need more for a larger squash).
• Season inside and outside of squash with salt. Scoop stuffing into cavity, packing firmly. Replace lid, which should fit snugly. Place any additional stuffing in a ramekin or small baking dish and add ¼ cup water per 1 cup stuffing; cover with foil. Bake squash with any extra stuffing alongside until a knife slides easily through flesh, 70-80 minutes. Remove from oven.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Toast walnuts on a small rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Cook garlic, oil, preserved lemon paste, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until oil is starting to sizzle gently and garlic is just beginning to brown around edges, about 2 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, 30 seconds. Pour in wine, whisking to combine. Then gradually pour in 1½ cups water, whisking to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until gravy is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
• Remove woody stem from top of squash (it should pull off easily) and cut squash into wedges. Using a large sturdy spatula, divide among plates or arrange on a platter and spoon any additional stuffing around. Drizzle gravy over and around, then top with walnuts and herbs.

PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Sterilize a 1-quart glass preserving jar with boiling water right before filling with lemons. Slice lemon from bud end to within 1/2-inch of stem end. Turn lemon 90 degrees and repeat. Open lemon slightly and pack inside with salt. Pack into jar and repeat with remaining lemons. Add enough lemon juice to cover to the top. Add pickling salt and close jar tightly. Set aside to pickle for at least 3 weeks. Every few days, turn jar over to redistribute juices and let stand on its head for a few days, then invert again.;

CRISPY ROASTED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet, gill-side up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, turn mushrooms, and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
• Transfer to oven and roast for 25 minutes. Turn mushrooms and continue to roast until larger mushrooms are crisp on the edges and smaller ones are crisp throughout, 10 to 15 minutes more. Season with more salt; serve warm or at room temperature.