CHARCOAL-GRILLED STUFFED QUAIL

Charcoal-Grilled Stuffed Quail image

The chef Bill Neal, of Crook's Corner in Chapel Hill, N.C., taught Craig Claiborne how to make this delectable recipe in 1985. Eating well, Mr. Neal said, was his family's preoccupation in their small farming community near Gaffney, S.C. "Both my grandmothers were marvelous cooks, but no one in that community ever thought of going to a restaurant. It was all home cooking."

Provided by Craig Claiborne

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

8 cleaned quail, 1/4 pound each
1/8 pound streaky bacon or salt pork, cut into small cubes, about 1/2 cup
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
2 1/2 tablespoons fine dry bread crumbs
2 1/2 tablespoons finely diced carrot
2 1/2 tablespoons finely diced celery
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons bacon fat or corn oil

Steps:

Heat a charcoal grill until white ash forms on top of the coals.
Split each quail neatly along the backbone. Set aside.
Put the bacon or salt pork and garlic on a flat surface and chop until almost a paste. Put the mixture in a mixing bowl and add the bread crumbs, carrot, celery, basil, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly with the fingers.
By hand, carefully separate a portion of the breast meat from the bone, to form a small pocket. Push equal portions of the pork stuffing into the cavities. Push any additional stuffing under the skin of the birds without breaking the skin. Brush the birds all over with bacon fat or oil.
Place the quail skin side down on the grill and cook until nicely browned on one side, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and press the outer portions together to give the bodies more of their original shape. Let cook 4 to 5 minutes on the second side, or until the desired doneness is reached.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 581, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 5 grams, Fat 43 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 42 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 617 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram