Vanneaux (Lapwings)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •30 to 35 cm / 12 to 14 inch heavy ovenproof skillet
• •Thin-probe instant-read thermometer
• •Kitchen twine
• •Tongs
• •Small whisk
• •Poultry shears, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Inspect and dry

   Heat the oven to 230°C / 450°F, or 220°C / 425°F with a fan, with the rack set in the upper-middle position. Examine each lapwing while it is cold. It should smell clean, faintly mineral, and gamey, never sour, ammonia-like, or rank. Remove any remaining pinfeathers and cut away bruised tissue surrounding a shot channel. Do not rinse the birds; water spreads contamination and leaves the skin too wet to brown. Pat the cavities and skin thoroughly dry.

   Ask the game dealer whether nonlead shot was used. Even professionally dressed wild birds should be checked carefully for pellets and damaged tissue before cooking.
2. 2

   Season and tie

   Season the cavities and skin evenly with the salt and pepper. Tie each bird's legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips beneath the body so they do not scorch. Leave the seasoned birds uncovered for 10 minutes while the oven finishes heating. Dry skin and fierce heat are what give a small game bird its bronze coat.

3. 3

   Begin the roast

   Set a heavy 30 to 35 cm / 12 to 14 inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat and melt 4 tablespoons of the butter until its foam subsides. Lay the birds on one side and let them color for 2 minutes, then turn them onto the other side for another 2 minutes. Finish with the breasts facing upward and spoon the butter over them. The butter should smell nutty and look hazelnut-brown, never black. If it burns, lift out the birds, pour away the blackened fat, wipe out the loose specks, and continue with 1 tablespoon of the reserved butter. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Roast and baste

   Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 8 minutes. Baste the birds with the pan butter, then begin checking their temperature with a thin probe in the thickest part of the breast and the inner thigh, avoiding bone. Continue roasting for 3 to 7 minutes, checking frequently, until both places reach 74°C / 165°F. If the skin darkens before the meat is ready, shield the breasts loosely with foil and lower the oven to 205°C / 400°F. High heat followed by early checking protects the flesh; a long gentle roast only dries a bird this small.

5. 5

   Rest the birds

   Move the lapwings to a warm platter and rest them for 8 to 10 minutes under a loose tent of foil. Do not wrap them tightly, or the crisp skin softens. Pour any juices released during the rest back into the skillet before finishing the jus.

6. 6

   Finish the jus

   Pour off excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon and every brown trace of fond, the glaze stuck to the pan. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cold water, then add the remainder to the skillet over medium heat. Scrape the fond into the liquid and reduce for 3 to 5 minutes, until the jus is glossy and lightly coats a spoon. Remove the skillet from the heat and monter au beurre, finish by whisking in the remaining cold butter a little at a time. If the jus separates into greasy beads, whisk in the reserved tablespoon of cold water off the heat. Ça se rattrape.

7. 7

   Serve at once

   Remove the twine and set one whole lapwing on each warmed plate, or split the birds lengthwise with poultry shears for easier eating. Spoon the jus around them rather than over the skin, which keeps that hard-won surface crisp. Warn diners that wild game can contain small bones or an overlooked pellet. Serve immediately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Lapwings are protected or unavailable for sale in many jurisdictions. Cook them only when a licensed game dealer can supply birds obtained and possessed lawfully. If that cannot be done, choose a separate wood pigeon or quail recipe; changing the bird changes the dish.
• •The salmis instruction is absolute. Strip every scrap of skin from roasted lapwing before the meat or carcass enters the cullis. Reduction concentrates flavor, including an unpleasant one, and no quantity of butter can persuade tainted sauce to behave.
• •Use a thin instant-read probe and begin checking early. Small wild birds vary in size and fatness, so the thermometer is more trustworthy than the clock. Both the thickest breast and inner thigh should reach 74°C / 165°F.
• •Serve vanneaux with pommes purée or plainly buttered potatoes and a bitter green vegetable. A light, earthy red wine suits the bird better than a heavy, tannic bottle.

Advance Preparation

• •The dressed birds can be inspected, dried, and held uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours. This dries the skin and improves browning. Keep them at or below 4°C / 40°F.
• •Measure the butter, water, salt, and pepper before the birds meet the heat. Once roasting begins, the timing moves quickly and there is no useful pause for searching through cupboards.
• •Vanneaux rôtis are best cooked just before serving. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; if using them for salmis, remove and discard the skin while the birds are cold, before beginning the cullis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)