Dear Eric: I am looking for a foolproof recipe for quail. I am hoping to do them for an 80th-birthday dinner.
Marilyn
Quail is a game bird, but the ones for sale in some butcher shops and supermarkets were farm-raised. However, they still have a rich, game-like taste and are succulent.
That, and the fact that they can be pricey, makes quail perfect for a special meal — that once-in-a-while occasion when you want to serve something different and don’t mind spending extra money.
Quail have plump breast meat, but are still small birds, about 125 to 140 grams when dressed. That’s why for a main course, two quail per person are usually served.
Some folks roast quail whole, perhaps with a stuffing. My preferred method, though, is to butterfly them (also called spatchcocking) before cooking.
To do that, you use kitchen scissors and cut, lengthwise, along the bird’s backbone and remove it. You then press the bird flat. In that form, quail cooks fairly quickly and doing so is not difficult.
Today, I’ve given Marilyn two options on how she does that.
One recipe involves marinating the quail and then broiling it. Once cooked, the pan drippings are turned into a simple but tasty jus poured over the quail.
The other recipe requires you to sear the quail, and then quickly roast them. After that, they are served with a divine sour-cherry sauce.
If you would like to serve quail, which are sold frozen, always plan ahead and call the butcher shop or food store you shop at to see if they sell it. In Victoria, I’ve seen quail at some Fairway Market locations, Slater’s Meats and Fisgard Market in Chinatown.
The safest way to thaw quail is to set them in their packaging in a sided dish in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
Broiled Quail with Balsamic, Rosemary and Garlic
Because quail are small, they don’t take long to cook, especially when broiled. Because they cook quickly, keep a close on eye them when broiling, so they don’t overcook.
Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus marinating time
Cooking time: About 11 minutes
Makes: six servings
12 (each about 125 grams) quail
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
• fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish
Set a quail, breast-side-down, on a cutting board. With kitchen shears, cut, lengthwise, along either side of its backbone and remove. Carefully press the quail flat, skin side down. Place the quail in a 13-by-9-inch dish. Repeat these steps with remaining quail.
Combine the 3 Tbsp oil, vinegar, garlic and chopped rosemary in a bowl. Pour this mixture over the quail; turn to coat them, making sure each quail is sitting flat after you’ve done this. Cover, refrigerate and marinate the quail for four hours.
When ready to cook, remove quail from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature 20 minutes. Set an oven rack six inches beneath your oven’s broiler. Preheat the broiler.
Set the quail, skin-side-up, in a single layer, in a large and wide broiler pan or shallow roasting pan. Brush the top of the quail with any marinade left in the pan; season with salt and pepper.
Broil the quail five to six minutes, or until their skins turn rich golden. Remove pan from the oven and carefully turn each quail over. Set the quail back in the oven and cook four to five minutes more, or until just cooked through.
Remove quail from the oven. Turn off the broiler.
Arrange the quail on a heatproof platter, skin-side-up. Set quail in the oven to keep warm.
Set the cooking pan on the stovetop over medium, medium-high heat. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift off the tasty brown bits stuck there. Reduce the wine to 1/4 cup.
Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Taste this jus and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Remove quail from the oven and pour the jus over them. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, set the platter on the dining table and serve.
Seared and Roasted Quail with Sour Cherry Ginger Sauce
Succulent quail, butterflied, seared, roasted and served with a splendid sweet-and-sour-tasting cherry sauce.
Preparation time: 50 minutes
Cooking time: About 25 minutes
Makes: six servings
12 (each about 125 grams) quail
1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2/3 cup sour cherry juice (see Note)
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp chopped fresh ginger
3 Tbsp brown sugar
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, plus some sprigs for garnish
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 Tbsp cornstarch
36-42 sour cherries, stemmed and pitted (see Note)
Set a quail, breast side down, on a cutting board. With kitchen shears, cut, lengthwise, along either side of its backbone and remove. Carefully press the quail flat, skin-side-down. Place the quail on a large plate.
Repeat these steps with remaining quail; cover and refrigerate until needed. (Quail could be prepared to this point several hours in advance.)
Place the cherry juice, orange juice, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, chopped rosemary and 3/4 cup of the stock in a medium pot and bring to a simmer. Combine the remaining stock and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pot and whisk to combine.
Bring sauce back to a simmer, and simmer two minutes, until lightly thickened. Add the cherries and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and reserve sauce until needed. (Sauce could be prepared to this point several hours in advance. Cool to temperature, cover and refrigerate until needed.)
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line large baking pan with parchment paper. Heat the oil in large skillet set over medium-high. Season the quail with salt and pepper. Sear the quail, in batches, two to three minutes per side, or until nicely browned, and then set on the baking sheet.
Roast the quail in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until just cooked through. While the quail roast, bring the sauce back to a simmer. When done, set two quail on each of six dinner plates, or arrange them on one large serving platter. Top with cherry sauce, garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.
Note: Sour cherries are sold in jars and cans at specialty food stores and some supermarkets, often in the canned-fruit aisle. The sour-cherry juice used in this recipe is the liquid the cherries were packed in. Any leftover cherries should be refrigerated and will keep a few weeks.
Eric Akis is the author of The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
