Braised quail

Braised Quail (From the NY Times)

Ingredients

• 4 quail
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 pound mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup white bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 2 cloves garlic, halved, skin and any green part removed
• 1/2 cup blanched toasted slivered almonds

Preparation

1.

Wipe the quail dry with paper towels and set aside.

2.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3.

Using a frying pan that can go into the oven and on top of the stove (preferably cast iron) soften the shallot in the butter. Add shallots to a bowl with the mushrooms, breadcrumbs, parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix well and moisten with a little of the white wine. Stuff the mixture into the bird cavities.

4.

Heat the oil in the skillet. Add the stuffed quail, breast down and brown lightly. Add the remaining wine and the garlic cloves. Cover and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Turn the quail breast up, turn up the heat to 400 and continue cooking for five to 10 minutes or until the quail are cooked.

5.

Remove the quail to a heated platter. Bring the sauce in the skillet to a boil over high heat and reduce by about a third. Remove the garlic cloves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the quail, sprinkle with almonds and serve.

This recipe worked just fine. Stuffing it gave it shape, although the legs stuck out in a rather perverse manner (perhaps next time bind the little legs, genius). Do not overcook!