1teaspoonunsalted butterplus one tablespoon for finishing the sauce
½cupdry sherry
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepperto taste
Marinated Quail
2jumbo French quail
2leavesof sagetorn
5sprigs of fresh thyme
1large sprig of rosemarybruised and broken into pieces (do not remove the leaves from the stem)
1large clove of garlicsliced
¼cupdry white wine
¼cupflavorless oillike canola or grapeseed
Parsley root-potato pureerecipe follows
Instructions
The day beforehand, prepare the quail. Put the quail on a cutting board with the breasts facing down. With a kitchen shears, cut the back of the quail following the back bone so that it lays flat on it’s breasts. Using a sharp paring knife, or just your fingers, remove the ribcage, wishbone, and breastbone (optional). If you really want to impress whoever will be eating the quail with you, remove the thigh bones as well. Roast the bones until golden in a 350 oven and reserve.
Combine the quail with the marinade ingredients and mix well, then put in a bowl or another container and wrap with plastic. Allow the quail to marinate overnight, or at least for a couple hours.
Rehydrate the black trumpet mushrooms in stock to cover for 15 minutes, then remove, tear them in half lengthwise and swish them back in the water to remove any debris on the inside, like pine needles or dirt. Remove the mushrooms and mince, then strain the stock and recombine the two.
Simmer the roasted quail bones with the black trumpet chicken stock for an hour or so, skimming occasionally. Strain the stock, you should have about 2 cups left.
Heat a small sauce pan with the teaspoon of butter and add the shallots. Brown the shallots lightly, deglaze with the sherry add the reserved stock, mushrooms and liquid. Simmer the sauce while you cook the quail, it needs to be reduced to about ¼- ½ cup.
Preheat an oven to 350. Meanwhile, heat a saute pan with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Remove the quail from the marinade and dry them thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, then put them skin side down in the pan. Cook the quail until the skin is golden and crisp, then finish cooking in the oven for about 5 minutes, until the quail is just done, and the juice from the leg runs clear.
To finish, heat the sauce, then whisk in the butter to thicken it and reduce the heat to low. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon easily, like gravy. If it doesn’t, reduce it a while longer, or add another nub of butter rolled in flour. Double check the seasoning for salt and adjust as needed.
To plate the dish, spoon some of the parsley root-potato puree on the middle of a dinner, then arrange the quail on top with the feet pointing away from you. Drizzle some of the sauce around and serve immediately with extra sauce alongside.
Notes
Basically this is chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, just with a small bird. Think of it as three recipes in one: a de-boned, marinated quail, a black trumpet pan sauce, and parsley root mash. Boning the quail takes a bit of work, but you can remove the bones with your fingers since their meat is soft.