We recently catered a dinner for a family that relocated to Santa Barbara from New England. The first course for dinner was a squab and porcini salad. We serve squab from Carpenter Squab Ranch, located 20 minutes from Santa Barbara. Squab is best when undercooked as it is very lean. We used the sous vide method. The squab was semi boned, seasoned and placed in vacuum bags. Using an immersion cooker, the squab is cooked at 69 degrees C. (155 degrees F) for about 15 minutes then seared in hot oil for 10 seconds to crisp the skin.
The porcini mushrooms were sauteed in olive oil and butter for a couple of minutes. The result was a delicious start to dinner. The recipe is reminiscent of the Salade Gourmande that Chef Michele Guerard created back in the 1970s.Chef Michele is one of the first proponents of Nouvelle Cuisine, along with the Troisgros brothers, Paul Bocuse and others. Guerard's version of the salad sported foie gras, asparagus, haricot vert and truffles, dressed with a sherry vinaigrette and fresh herbs. My budget was somewhat more modest so I prepared my own version. It was served with a Turner Pinot Noir and crusty bread from d'Angelo's Bakery.
Chef Michael Hutchings
Michael's Catering
Santa Barbara, CA
