Grives et Merles de Corse (Thrushes and Corsican Blackbirds)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy flameproof casserole with a close-fitting lid
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Long match and casserole lid for flamber
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Fat separator or broad shallow spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the small birds

   Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Run your fingertips carefully over each bird and remove any stray feathers or shot, then dry the skin and cavities thoroughly. Season inside and out with the salt and pepper. Tuck the wing tips underneath and tie the legs together loosely so the birds cook compactly, but do not bind them into little parcels. Dry skin browns; damp skin remains pale.

2. 2

   Begin the Poëlings

   Apply Poëlings (No. 250) at home scale. Melt 6 tablespoons (90 ml / 85 g) of the butter in a heavy flameproof casserole just large enough to hold the birds snugly in one layer. When the foam subsides, brown the birds over medium heat, breast-side down first, turning until every side is butter-gold. Work in two batches if necessary, then return them all to the casserole. Keep the final tablespoon of butter in reserve.

   The butter should smell nutty and sweet, never scorched. Moderate heat gives the birds time to colour before the milk solids burn.
3. 3

   Cook covered and dry

   Cover the casserole and place it in the oven without adding stock, water, or wine. Baste the birds twice with the butter from the bottom of the pot. Begin checking very small thrushes after 7 minutes and quail after 12 minutes. They are ready for the final colouring when the thickest thigh reaches about 155°F to 160°F (68°C to 71°C). If the butter blackens or smells acrid before then, transfer the birds to a clean casserole and add the reserved butter. Ça se rattrape. Burnt butter left in the sauce does not.

4. 4

   Flamber and colour

   Flamber, to burn off the Cognac: move the casserole to the stove, turn off the burner and extractor, and keep the lid beside you. Pour the measured Cognac into the casserole, never directly from its bottle, then ignite it with a long match if you are comfortable doing so. Let the flame die naturally. For a flame-free equivalent, return the uncovered pan to medium heat and boil the Cognac for 60 to 90 seconds, until its raw alcoholic smell disappears. Return the casserole to the oven uncovered until the birds are deeply bronzed and reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest thigh, usually another 3 to 6 minutes for thrushes or 6 to 10 minutes for quail.

5. 5

   Build the poëling stock

   Transfer the birds to a warm dish and cover them loosely. Pour the brown veal stock into the casserole without first removing the cooking butter. Scrape up the fond and simmer gently for 10 full minutes, allowing the stock to gather the flavour held in the butter. Strain through a fine sieve, let the liquid settle briefly, then spoon off the surface fat. The finished sauce should be clear, concentrated, and just substantial enough to cling lightly to a spoon. If it remains thin, reduce it for another minute or two; if it tightens or tastes too strong, loosen it with a spoonful of stock.

6. 6

   Return and serve

   Return the birds to the warm casserole and pour the sauce around them, keeping the bronzed breasts above its surface. Warm over the lowest heat for 2 minutes without boiling, which would dry such small birds. Taste the sauce for salt, then bring the casserole directly to the table and serve two birds to each guest with plenty of sauce. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The name records a real Corsican game tradition, but it is not permission to take unidentified wild birds. Hunting, sale, and possession rules vary. Buy only from a licensed game dealer or use farmed quail, the source-authorized equivalent.
• •Quail gives you the same proportion and cooking method, but not the berry-fed perfume of Corsican game. Accept that honest difference. Do not manufacture Corsica by adding rosemary, lavender, or a fistful of herbs the source never called for.
• •Use a strong brown veal stock with body but little salt, since reduction concentrates everything. If veal stock is unavailable, reduce unsalted chicken stock by one-third before measuring it; the sauce will be lighter, and it should be described that way.
• •Small wild birds vary greatly in size, so the thermometer settles the argument better than the clock. Cook them to 165°F (74°C), checking in the thigh without touching bone.
• •Serve with pommes sautées, a smooth celery-root purée, or simply good bread to collect the sauce. A light Corsican red based on Sciaccarellu suits the birds without covering their flavour.

Advance Preparation

• •The brown veal stock may be prepared well ahead, portioned, and frozen. Thaw and bring it to a simmer before the birds enter the oven.
• •The birds may be cleaned, checked for shot, trussed, and refrigerated uncovered for up to 6 hours. The dry cold air helps the skin colour evenly.
• •Cook the birds close to serving time. Their small size makes reheating unforgiving, although the tools, measured Cognac, warm serving dish, and stock can all be arranged before guests sit down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 230g)