GRILLED QUAIL SALAD '21' CLUB

Grilled Quail Salad '21' Club image

Yield Serves 4 as a first course or light main course

Number Of Ingredients 21

For marinade
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 lemon, quartered
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 teaspoon juniper berries*, crushed
2 tablespoons molasses
2 dried small chilies (each about 1 inch long) or 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 boneless quail**
available at specialty foods shops and in spice section of many supermarkets
** available at some butcher shops
For dressing
3 tablespoons tarragon white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 navel oranges, peel and pith cut away and sections cut free from membranes
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1/2 cup pepitas (hulled green pumpkin seeds)***, toasted lightly
2 cups packed mesclun (mixed baby greens), washed and spun dry
***available at natural foods stores

Steps:

Make marinade:
In a bowl or baking dish stir together marinade ingredients until combined.
Add quail, turning to coat. Marinate quail, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours or overnight.
Make dressing:
In a bowl whisk together vinegar and mustard and add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Add orange sections, mango, and pepitas. Chill dressing, covered, about 3 hours to blend flavors.
Prepare grill.
Grill quail in batches on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear when fleshy part of a thigh is pierced. (Alternatively, cook quail in batches in a cast-iron skillet over moderate heat, turning frequently to avoid burning, about 10 minutes.) Let quail stand 3 minutes.
Toss mesclun with dressing and divide among 4 plates. Top each salad with 2 quail.