GRILLED QUAIL WRAPPED IN GRAPE LEAVES ON WHITE BEAN SALAD

Grilled Quail Wrapped In Grape Leaves On White Bean Salad image

Provided by Joanna Pruess

Time 45m

Yield Two servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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1 cup vegetable oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
6 bay leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
4 boneless quails, split in half lengthwise
8 large untorn grape leaves, blotted dry
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
4 ounces Great Northern beans, soaked overnight
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium-sized tomato, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sumac, optional (see note)
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons torn mint leaves

Steps:

Combine the oil, onion, soy sauce, bay leaves and peppercorns together in a nonreactive dish just large enough to hold the quails in one layer. Add the quails, turning to coat them with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate them for eight hours, or overnight. Baste once during this time.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the beans, cook them until just tender, about 35 to 45 minutes, then drain. While the beans are still warm, add the red onion, tomato, olive oil, lemon juice, sumac if used, salt and mint leaves.
While the beans are cooking, eat a charcoal grill or a broiler. Remove the quails from the marinade. Spread the grape leaves out flat. Place a half quail on the lower edge of each leaf. Roll up the bird in the leaf, turning in the sides as you roll. Run a skewer through the roll crosswise and add a piece of red pepper. Repeat with three more rolls and pieces of pepper per skewer.
Once the salad has been made and the charcoal is hot, place the skewers on the grill and cook the quails for five minutes, then turn them over and cook the second side for five minutes more. Serve the quail rolls on top of the bean salad.