If you watched E3 of The Taste on ABC you saw that my spoon was picked to represent Team Marcus once again! This dish combines the elegance of roast squab with the 'grit' of duck liver, confit squab leg and the brightness of apple, lemon and fig.

The dish as a whole is a winner. The theory behind this dish was to give chef Naomi Pomeroy a true 'beast' experience. Using not only the breast, but the confit leg, and seared liver give the dish an earthy and gritty quality that both Marcus and I thought she would like. Unfortunately during the last few seconds of the competition I couldn't get the squab garnish on... lucky for me our team was still safe. But lesson learned!

What is squab you may ask? Well squab is pigeon... you may see these cute little birds around the city and in parks. Bizarre I know. Bizarre but delicious.

Challenge: Happy Holidays

Dish: Gabriel's Roast Squab

Ingredients:

Roast squab breast:
4 ea squad breast
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
2 tbsp butter

Confit:
4 ea squab leg
2 cups duck fat
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary

Brunoise garnish:
¼ cup apple,
¼ cup chard stem
1/8 cup confit
1/8 cup preserved lemon
1/8 cup duck liver, seared
Ponzu
Lime juice
Olive oil

Chutney:
1 cup fig, dried
1 cup port wine
½ cup red wine
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp butter

Jus:
1 cup demi glace
2 tbsp crème fraice
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp sherry vin
½ cup Brussels sprouts petals
Duck fat

Directions:
Confit
Cook squab legs in duck fat for 35min with rosemary, garlic and thyme.

Squab breast:
In a pan over high heat, squab skin side down. Cook until golden brown. Flip, add butter and herbs and bask for one min. Remove from pan and let rest.

Chutney:
In a pot, stew figs, port and red wine with the aromatic herbs until reduced and figs are soft. Move to blender and blend with butter and a touch of vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Brunoise:
Brunoise the preserved lemon, apple, chard stem, season with olive oil, lime juice and ponzu.

Jus:
Mix all ingredients over medium heat and season.

Assembly:
Put fig chutney in center of the plate. Slice squab and place it over fig. Glaze squab with jus. Top squab with brunoise and garnish.

My second GOLD STAR dish!

I love the holidays. The weather is a bit colder and it is the perfect time to indulge. Growing up, fowl and other birds alike were a rarity. However, as I got older, my love for such game grew and as a cook at fine dining establishments, they became a staple. This dish represents the essence of the holidays; apples, herbs, brown butter, brussels sprouts, duck, ginger... all wonderful warming elements that will surely put a smile on your face.

Dish: Gabe's roasted Duck with Brussels Sprouts, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Apple, Herb and Aromatic Ginger
Sauce

Ingredients:
3 ea duck breast, scored
3 ea apple (granny smith), (puree)
3 sprigs, rosemary (puree)
3 sprigs thyme (puree)
1/8 cup brown butter (puree)
¼ cup prosecco
6 ea Brussels sprouts, separate petals
¼ lb chanterelle mushrooms, cut in fourths
1 tbsp butter
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp ginger, minced
¼ cup honey
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp veal jus

Directions:
Duck:
Score duck skin lengthwise. Season with salt and cook skin down in a cold pan over medium heat. Cook until skin is crisp and fat is rendered out. Continue to pour off fat. Put in over at 350F until medium rare about 7 min. Let cook on rack.

Apple puree:
Steam apple in a little bit of prosecco until soft. Add cubes of butter to a hot pan with herbs and smoke until brown. Pour into cool pan to stop from over browning, place apples in a blender and puree, adding brown butter (no herbs). Season with salt and pepper.

Brussels sprouts:
Cut off stems and separate into petals. Fry at 375F until golden. Place onto paper towel and salt them.

Mushrooms:
Clean by scraping down the stem. Cut into fourths. Put pan over medium heat. Add rendered duck fat. When hot, add the mushrooms. When golden, add butter, herbs, salt & pepper. Season.

Sauce:
Caramelize honey and ginger, add red wine vinegar and jus. Strain and whisk in butter.

Assembly: Put a swoosh of apple puree, then add mushrooms around plate. Slice duck and garnish with Brussels petals. Glaze meat with sauce.