QUAIL WITH FREGOLA AND OLIVES

Quail With Fregola and Olives image

Veering from quail, you could serve the fregola, scooped from the pot without baking, alongside lamb chops or a roast. As for those figs, they'll honor a wedge of sharp cheese, with the last of the wine.

Provided by Florence Fabricant

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

12 quails, butterflied
Salt
pepper
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons black-olive tapenade
5 cups chicken stock, or as needed
1/2 cup finely chopped fennel
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Leaves from 3 rosemary sprigs
1/3 cup pitted black Niçoise olives, chopped
1 pound fregola (toasted pasta)

Steps:

Rinse the quails, pat them dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Brown as many quails, skin side down, as will fit in one layer. Remove seared birds to a platter and repeat with the rest. Mix the tapenade with the remaining olive oil and spread on the uncooked side of each quail.
Heat the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile, turn the heat in the sauté pan to low, add the fennel, onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, rosemary and olives. Stir in the fregola. Begin adding warm stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring while it is absorbed, as if making risotto. After 20 to 25 minutes, the fregola should be al dente. Add any quail juices from the platter and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon the fregola into a large baking dish. On top of it, arrange the quails, skin side up, slightly overlapping. Bake 20 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 931, UnsaturatedFat 30 grams, Carbohydrate 72 grams, Fat 44 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 58 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 1302 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams