Pigeonneau Rôti, Mousseline de...Pigeonneau Rôti, Mousseline de Panais à la Tonka et Jus Réduit au Cassis

Exquisite roasted squab breast basted in foaming demi-sel butter, served alongside a velvety tonka-infused parsnip mousseline, sautéed golden chanterelles, and an intense carcass jus laced with blackcurrant nectar.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   Prepare the parsnip mousseline: Place sliced parsnips in a saucepan with the cream, half of the grated tonka bean, a pinch of fine salt, and enough water to barely cover. Simmer gently until fork-tender (approx. 18 minutes). Transfer to a high-speed blender, incorporate 30g of cold butter, and blend until mirror-smooth. Pass through a fine tamis sieve and keep warm.

2. 02

   Craft the jus: In a copper saucepan, sweat one minced shallot in 10g of butter. Deglaze with crème de cassis, reducing to a glossy glaze. Pour in the rich stock, add two sprigs of thyme, and simmer over low heat until reduced to a glossy nappe consistency (coating the back of a spoon). Season lightly, strain through a chinois, and mount with 20g of chilled butter off the heat.

3. 03

   Sauté the chanterelles: In a hot skillet, melt 15g of butter until foaming. Add the cleaned chanterelles and sauté rapidly over high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining minced shallot, season with salt and Sarawak pepper, and cook for 1 additional minute. Drain on absorbent paper.

4. 04

   Roast the squab crowns: Season the squab crowns generously with fine sea salt. In a heavy cast-iron pan, heat a drizzle of neutral oil and sear the squab crowns skin-side down until uniformly golden. Turn breasts upward, add 35g of butter, crushed garlic cloves, and remaining thyme sprigs.

5. 05

   Arrosé and cook: Transfer pan to a preheated oven at 190°C (375°F) for 6–8 minutes, basting (arrosage) continuously with the foaming infused butter until the core reaches 52°C (125°F) for an ideal rosé/medium-rare. Remove squabs from heat and rest on an elevated wire rack for 8 minutes to redistribute the juices.

6. 06

   Carve: Using a razor-sharp slicing knife, cleanly carve the breasts away from the sternum bone, ensuring the crisp skin remains perfectly intact.

7. 07

   Dressage: Swoosh a generous quenelle of tonka parsnip mousseline across preheated porcelain plates. Arrange the carved squab breast alongside, cluster the sautéed chanterelles nearby, and finish by saucing table-side with the glossy blackcurrant jus.