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| What You Need: |
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6 tablespoons butter, cut into bits, plus 6 tablespoons butter, melted
7 or 8 slices homemade-type white bread, trimmed of all crusts and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
½ cup finely chopped onions
1½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic
¾ cup freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon crumbled dried marjoram
1½ teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 one-pound oven-ready squab
Parsley sprigs or watercress for garnish
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| How To Cook: |
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1. First prepare the stuffing in the following manner: Preheat the oven to 400. In a heavy 8- to 10-inch skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter bits over moderate heat.
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2. When the foam begins to subside, drop in the bread cubes and, stirring frequently, fry them until they are golden brown on all sides. Transfer the bread cubes to a mixing bowl. In the skillet melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter bits.
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3. When the foam subsides, add the onions and garlic, and stir over moderate heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent but not brown.
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4. With a rubber spatula, scrape the entire contents of the skillet over the bread cubes. Mix well, then stir in the grated cheese, chopped parsley, marjoram, ½ teaspoon of the salt and the white pepper. Taste the stuffing for seasoning.
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5. Wash the squab briefly under cold running water and pat them completely dry inside and out with paper towels. Season the cavities of the birds with the remaining teaspoon of salt, and fill the cavities with the stuffing, dividing it equally among them.
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6. Sew the openings securely with white thread, then truss the bird securely. Place the birds side by side on a rack set in a shallow roasting pan and, using a pastry brush, coat the squab evenly with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
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7. Roast in the middle of the oven for about 40 minutes, brushing the birds from time to time with the remaining melted butter and the fat that will accumulate in the bottom of the pan.
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8. To test for doneness, pierce the thighs of the birds with the point of a small sharp knife. The juice that trickles out should be a clear yellow; if it is tinged with pink, roast the squab for 5 or 10 minutes longer.
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9. Arrange the squab attractively on a heated platter, garnish them with parsley or watercress and serve at once.
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