Braised Squab in a Mold of Vegetables ►

To prepare the squab and sauce: Preheat the oven to 450 F. Brown the wings and necks in a 350 F oven; set aside in the pan. Season the squab inside and out with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat about 4 tablespoons of the butter and brown the birds on all sides. Place the birds on plate and set aside in a warm place. Discard the butter in the pan and add four tablespoons fresh clarified butter. Add the onion and bacon. Saute over medium heat until the onions are pale golden and softened. Add the cabbages. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender. Add veal stock to cover and adjust seasoning. Bring to a boil. Place the squab on the cabbage, brush with clarified butter, and cook in the oven for 10 minutes.

Remove the squab from the pan and bone them. Return the bones to the roasting pan with the previously browned wings and necks; set the squab meat aside. Strain the juice from the cabbage mixture into the pan with the bones. Set the cabbage aside. Add more veal stock to the bones if necessary. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Strain through a chinois or fine-meshed sieve and set aside; keep warm over tepid water.
To prepare the molds: Cook the vegetables in heavily salted water until just al dente. Cool the vegetables in a bowl of ice water. Selecting the largest turnip, slice crosswise at its widest part into four slices, about 1/8-inch thick and 3-1/2 inches in diameter. In the middle of each of these slices, cut a 1-inch round hole. Cut the remaining turnips and the carrots into 40 rectangular pieces, about 1-1/2 inches by 1 inch by 1/8 inch.

Butter four 4-inch souffle molds. Carve the squab meat into slices. Place one of the large turnip slices in the bottom of each. Arrange the remaining vegetable slices around the inside edge of the molds, overlapping the slices and alternating carrots and turnips. Cut the stems from four broccoli florets. Place a broccoli floret, top down, in the hold in each of the large turnip slices at the bottom of each mold. Cover with one layer of cabbage, packed around the broccoli and vegetables. Cover with squab slices. Add more cabbage, pressing hard to form the mixture into a mold. Place the molds in a small baking pan and fill 2/3 of the way up the side with hot water. Top each mold with a circle of buttered parchment paper. Put back in the oven for 20 minutes.

To serve: Unmold a vegetable mold in the center of each warmed serving plate. Spoon warmed sauce around the molds.