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1
Rinse the squabs and dry well inside and out.
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2
Trim the giblets of any dark spots, fat, and membrane and chop roughly; set aside.
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3
Use kitchen string to tie the legs of each squab loosely together.
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4
In a heavy-bottomed, wide, deep skillet or Dutch oven large enough to accommodate the 4 birds, warm the oil and garlic together over medium-low heat.
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5
Saute until the garlic is nicely golden, about 4 minutes.
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6
Tie the sage and rosemary sprigs together with kitchen string and add to the pan along with the cloves, lemon zest, and chopped giblets.
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7
Saute until the giblets are nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
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8
Remove and discard the garlic, raise the heat to medium, and add the birds; brown them evenly, about 15 minutes.
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9
Add the wine, vinegar, salt, and pepper to taste and deglaze the pan, stirring to dislodge any bits stuck to the bottom.
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10
Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the squabs are tender, about 15 minutes longer, adding a few tablespoons of water, when necessary, to keep the birds moist.
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11
Be sure not to overcook them, or their meat will dry out.
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12
Scoop out and discard the bundled herbs, cloves, and lemon zest from the pan juices and check for seasoning.
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13
Remove the pan from the heat and let the birds settle for 10 minutes.
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14
Meanwhile, toast the bread.
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15
Remove the strings from the birds.
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16
Serve each squab on a plate alongside a slice of bread.
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17
Defat the pan juices and pour over each serving.
