206&207/656 - Roast squab with Janni's barley stuffing & simple squab sauce

I am a huge advocate of meat eaters keeping in touch with the reality of where their food comes from, always acutely aware that a little living soul has died for my gastronomic pleasure. So I was quite surprised at how confronted I was when I realised my little raw pigeon still had it's head attached! I got through the beheading unscathed but for a brief moment I did re-evaluate my dietary choices.    

I decided to cook only one little pigeon for this meal as it was just the kids and I for dinner and we are usually happy with smallish meat portions alongside a truckload of vegetables. I didn't reduce the amount of stuffing  I made however, as I had an inkling it would be fabulous and I gave myself a little pat on the back as I added it to the next morning's omelette. It was a fabulous stuffing, rich with lemon and  butter and the smell emanating from my kitchen as it was slow cooking in the oven was out of this world.

The squab sauce was also incredible, rich and decadent and I poured the leftovers over the following nights roast chicken, with the family's eagle eyes making sure I doled it out evenly! It was definitely a lick the plate kind of sauce (no, I didn't) and one I am sure I will make again when I have some bird offcuts on hand.    

If you missed it before, I am still singing the song made famous by Bert on Sesame Street...

♫ Doin' the (coo coo) p-i-geon

Dancing a little smidgeon 

Of the kind of ballet
Sweeps me away...

The little piles of extra stuffing were well received!