Squab With Mushrooms and Pears

• 2 strips bacon, in 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 ripe but firm Bosc pear, cored and diced
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 squabs
• 1 tablespoon soft unsalted butter
• 6 sprigs thyme, more for garnish
• 6 sage leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 13 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons well-flavored chicken or veal stock

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix together bacon, pear and mushrooms.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Rinse and dry squabs.
5. Rub with butter.
6. Stuff cavity of each with 3 sprigs thyme, 3 sage leaves and a clove of garlic.
7. Place in baking dish and roast for 5 minutes.
8. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and roast 10 minutes more.
9. Remove from oven.
10. Wrap each squab in foil to keep warm.
11. Stir wine into baking dish, scraping the bottom.
12. Spread the mushroom mixture into the baking dish and cook for 20 minutes.
13. Stir in stock.
14. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees.
15. Unwrap squabs and place them on top of the mushroom mixture.
16. Return the baking dish to the oven for 5 minutes.
17. Remove squabs to a cutting board.
18. Spread mushroom mixture, including any juices in the pan, on a warm serving platter.
19. Using poultry or kitchen shears, or a sharp heavy knife, cut the squabs in quarters.
20. Arrange on the platter and garnish with thyme sprigs.

bacon, pear, mushrooms, salt, squabs, butter, thyme, sage, garlic, red wine, wellflavored chicken

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016875 (may not work)