Best Quail With Chestnuts And Raisins Recipes

STUFFED QUAIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and salt. Toast for 5 to 8 minutes, until crisp. Transfer to a large bowl.
• In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the butter until it's melted and foamy. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley, sage and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Add the toasted bread and toss to combine. If you need more liquid for the bread, add more chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Once the stuffing is cool, wear kitchen rubber gloves to stuff the cavity of the quails with about 1 cup of stuffing per quail. Place the remaining stuffing on the bottom of a roasting pan or large cast-iron skillet. Season the quail with salt and pepper and rest on top of the stuffing. Roast the quail for 15 to 20 minutes or until juices run clear when you pierce the skin. Serve right away.

GRILLED MARINATED QUAIL

Steps:

• Wash and dry quail.
• Combine remaining ingredients and place in noncorrosive container large enough to hold quail. Place quail in marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, turning occasionally.
• To cook, heat broiler(s). Cover broiler pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil and arrange quail on foil. If you have only one broiler, you will have to cook the quail in 2 batches. Broil 2 inches from source of heat for 5 minutes on each side. Remove metal frame holding quail open and serve with polenta (see recipe).

QUAIL AND GRAPES

Steps:

• Rinse quail and pat dry. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Put a small amount of grated garlic in each bird's cavity, as well as the chopped rosemary and thyme. Drizzle birds with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and let marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour. (You may refrigerate for several hours or overnight; bring to room temperature before roasting.)
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place onions in a small ovenproof skillet or pie pan, and season with salt and pepper. Toss with balsamic vinegar and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Bake until slightly softened and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Spread remaining rosemary and thyme sprigs on a baking sheet or in a low-sided roasting pan. Lay quail on top of herbs, breast-side down. Roast for about 15 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned.
• Turn birds breast-side up and surround with roasted onions and grape clusters. Continue roasting for 10 minutes more. If necessary, put birds under the broiler to crisp the skin. Let rest 10 minutes and serve.

SAUTEED QUAIL WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Sprinkle quail on all sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat half of butter in skillet, with lid, large enough to hold opened quail in one layer without crowding. Add quail, breast side down, in skillet, and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Cook about 1 minute on second side until golden.
• Scatter shallots around quail and cook briefly, stirring. Sprinkle with Cognac and add broth. Cover and let simmer about 8 minutes. Add grapes, cover and cook 2 minutes more.
• Transfer quail to warm platter. Let sauce cook down 2 minutes. Swirl in remaining butter. Return quail to sauce. Heat sauce briefly and serve.

ROAST QUAIL WITH GRAPES AND CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove and discard any feathers from quail, then remove necks if necessary with poultry shears and discard. Rinse quail inside and out and pat dry, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil and butter in a deep 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then brown quail on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, then sauté carrot, onion, and thyme over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes.
• Return quail (with any juices on plate) to skillet with vegetables and roast, breast sides up, in oven until just cooked through (cut into an inner thigh; meat will still be slightly pink), about 10 minutes. Transfer quail to a platter and loosely cover with foil.
• Add Cognac to vegetables in skillet and boil 1 minute, then add broth and boil until liquid is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Stir in crème fraîche and simmer until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on and discarding solids, then pour back into skillet. Add grapes and chestnuts and simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through and grapes turn a shade lighter, about 3 minutes. Transfer grapes and chestnuts to platter with quail, then boil sauce until thick enough to lightly coat back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then spoon some sauce over quail and serve remainder on the side.
• *Available at specialty foods shops, D'Artagnan (800-327-8246), and Cavendish Game Birds (802-885-1183).
• **Available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets.

QUAIL WITH CHESTNUTS AND RAISINS

Steps:

• Place raisins in a bowl, add port and set aside. Season quail with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet on medium-high. Add as many quail as will fit comfortably, breast side down. Sauté until breast is well browned. Transfer quail, breast side up, to a baking dish that can go to the table and continue sautéing until all the quail are browned. Quail can be slightly overlapping in the dish.
• Reduce heat in pan to medium-low, add shallot and ginger and sauté until soft. Add raisins with port and the chestnuts. Add stock. Let simmer about a minute. Check seasonings and pour over quail in the baking dish. Place thyme on top. Bake uncovered about 20 minutes for medium; timing can be adjusted according to taste.