Il Piccione “ di Silene”
It is typical of the generosity of talented and charismatic Roberto Rossi that, having tasted our Brunello 2006, he gave us his recipe for squab. We had asked him to suggest a perfect dish for the vintage specific QR code on the backlabel of this wine. Il Silene is a beautiful fine dining restaurant on the slopes of Monte Amiata. Roberto makes a point of personally sourcing local ingredients and his creations are always a great balance of playful creativity and tradition. He has many fans amongst Montalcino's producers and a wonderful wine list spanning the length of Italy; a trip to Il Silene is always worth the journey.Inspired by the Chef’s grandfather, this recipe is a collaboration between Roberto and his friend Maurizio. "Piccione" is a prized meat and is used in many other recipes locally. It is served as a typical Sunday lunch in Seggiano.
For the meat (serves 2 people)
-Breast and legs of two squab
-3 fresh sprigs of rosemary
-1 ½ cloves of garlic, bruised
-A small glass of dry white wine
-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the side-dish
-Fresh seasonal greens, ½ cup beans (ideally Fagioli del Purgatorio), soaked for 2 hours
-3 large sage leaves
-2 sprigs of rosemary
-1 clove of garlic *If Fagioli del Purgatorio cannot be found, substitute with Cannellini beans and soak overnight, 8 – 12 hours
In a heavy bottomed deep skillet, sear the meat in extra virgin olive oil until the skin becomes crispy. Add the rosemary and the garlic to the pan. When the garlic begins to brown, add the white wine and allow it to evaporate. Salt to taste. Remove the pan from the heat to stop the cooking, but leave the meat in the pan to extract flavors (the insides should be pink). Meanwhile, add the beans, garlic, rosemary and sage to a lightly salted pot of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, simmering for 40-50 minutes, depending on your taste.Cut the breasts of the squab and fan them out on the plate, adding the legs and beans as a side dish along with steamed seasonal greens.
To experience this in person, visit Roberto.Il Silene, Loc. Pescina, 58038 Seggiano (GR) Italy. Tel +39 0564 950 805 email - info@ilsilene.it www.ilsilene.it In mid-September 2011 his much-awaited first book will be available. Contact Roberto directly for information about ordering and delivery.