2426. PANFRIED QUAIL with CREAMED CORN and BACON

serves four


For Creamed Corn
6 ears corn, shucked
6 oz. thick-sliced bacon (4-5 slices), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-wide strips
1 large bunch scallions
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For Quail
6 whole (6- to 8-oz.) jumbo quail, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
1/2 cup whole milk
about 2 1/2 cups corn or canola oil for frying

Accompaniment: lemon wedges

Make the Creamed Corn: Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of water to a boil. Add corn and simmer for 4 minutes. With tongs, transfer corn to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop the cooking. When cool enough to handle, drain and cut kernels from cobs.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Thinly slice enough scallions to measure 1 cup.

Combine cream, water, lemon juice, bacon, sliced scallions, and butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, bring to a simmer, and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute. Add corn and salt and pepper to taste and cook until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Cook the Quail: With poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut off necks and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Cut out and discard backbones. Halve each quail lengthwise through breast and cut off legs.

Stir together flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a shallow bowl. Pour milk into another shallow bowl.

Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Meanwhile, working with one piece at a time, dip quail in milk, letting excess drip off, then dredge in flour mixture, shake off excess, and place on a tray. Using tongs, put half of pieces, skin sides down, into hot oil. Fry quail, turning several times, until golden brown and just cooked through, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain and keep warm, covered. Reheat oil and fry remaining quail in same manner. Reheat corn over low heat if necessary.

Serve quail with creamed corn and lemon wedges.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl. Pages 403-404. Houghton Mifflin, 2004

2287. QUAILS roasted with BACON and FOIE GRAS

yields eight servings


8 quails
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 ounces foie gras
16 strips bacon

Rinse the quails and pat them dry. Use poultry shears or a sharp knife to cut away the feet and any extra neck skin. Season them inside and out with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the foie gras into 8 equal pieces. Place a small amount of each piece into the cavity of each bird, and place the remainder on the breast of each bird. Wrap two strips of bacon tightly around each bird to hold the foie gras in place, securing the bacon with kitchen string or toothpicks if necessary.

Place the wrapped quails, breast-side up, on a roasting pan fitted with a rack and roast for 20 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the juices from the bird are rosy and no longer red. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with the cranberry relish. (see recipe)


bacon recipe courtesy of: Molly O'Neill, "Fowl Play," The New York Times, November 22, 1998

2015. BACON-WRAPPED BONELESS QUAIL filled with BLACK TRUMPET MUSHROOMS

serves six


Filling
1 pound boned chicken breast, all skin and sinews removed
1 egg white
2 tablespoons brandy
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
6 ounces foie gras, cut in 3/4 inch dice
1 pound black trumpet mushrooms
1/2 pound spinach, blanched, chopped, and squeezed as dry as possible
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
6 boneless quail, available from specialty butchers, wings removed
6 slices bacon
2 1/2 cups rich meat stock

Make the filling: Put the chicken, the egg white, and the brandy in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. With the processor running, add the cream in a thin stream, then the salt and pepper and a few gratings of nutmeg, and process until all is well combined. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and, using a rubber spatula, gently mix in the remaining filling ingredients, reserving half the braised mushrooms for the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Using a pastry bag with a 3/4 to 1-inch opening, squeeze the filling mixture into the cavities of the quail, restoring their whole, plump shape. Lay the quail on their backs and cross their legs to close in the stuffing. Starting at the head end, wrap a piece of bacon around the sides of the quail and back to the head end to cover both openings. The quail will look as if they are lying in a bed of bacon. Tie the bacon in place with string, wrap a little piece of foil around the quails' legs to keep them from burning, and place the quail on a rack in a roasting pan, alternating filling-side up and filling-side down.

Roast the quail for 40 minutes. Turn off the oven, remove the quail to a platter, and let them rest in the turned-off oven while you make the sauce. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan, leaving any pan juice behind. Add the reserved braised mushrooms and the meat stock to the pan, stir well, and transfer to a saucepan. Reduce to 1 1/2 cups.

Using a very sharp slicing knife, carefully cut each quail in half lengthwise down the center and arrange the halves on the platter. Spoon half the sauce on and around the quail and serve the rest in a sauceboat.


bacon recipe courtesy of: The Hudson River Valley Cookbook: A Leading American Chef Savors the Region's Bounty by Waldy Malouf. Harvard Common Press, 1998

1385. QUAIL with BACON and HONEY

serves four


1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
Gray Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 semi-boneless quail
8 thin slices of bacon
8 wooden skewers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grape juice
8 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the marinade: Mix together the honey, vinegar, sage, and salt and pepper to taste.

Season the quail with salt and pepper. Tuck legs and wing tips under the body of each quail and wrap the outside of each bird with a slice of bacon. Lay 2 of the quail side by side. Run a skewer through one side of both pieces. Run a second skewer through the opposite side of the pieces. Repeat with the remaining quail. Drizzle with oil. Trim the skewers to fit into an ovenproof skillet.

Generously brush the birds with the marinade.

Heat the olive oil in the skillet and saute the quail pieces for 2 minutes on each side. Place the pan in the oven for 15 minutes, to finish cooking the birds to medium-rare. Remove and let rest.

Pour the fat from the pan. Add the grape juice and rosemary to the pan. Cook over low heat and reduce until thickened and syrupy, about 8 minutes. Whisk the butter into the sauce to finish. Strain.

Place 2 quail on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the top. Garnish with the rosemary sprigs from the sauce. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello. Chronicle Books, 2002

1260. QUAIL and SPINACH SALAD with HONEY MUSTARD and BACON DRESSING

Spinach Salad

1 smoked quail per person
1 handful spinach per person
sliced mushrooms, julienned green apples, and red onions for garnish


Hot Honey Mustard and Bacon Dressing

1 cup Creole mustard or coarse-grained tarragon mustard
½ cup Hudson's champagne herb vinegar
½ cup honey
1 cup bacon, diced into bits

Cook the bacon in a single layer, drain and crumble. Mix the bacon, vinegar, ½ cup honey and mustard together in a saucepan and bring to a light simmer.


Honey Cilantro Ginger Glaze

1-1/2 cups honey
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup fresh ginger, minced
¼ cup garlic, minced
¼ cup shallots, minced
2 bunches cilantro, leaves only
Salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon minimum
¼ lb. sweet butter

Combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; simmer for 4 minutes. Hold on warm, at 180º or less.

Smoke quail. This can be done earlier in the day. Re-warm quail in a 250º oven for 5 minutes after dipping it in the glaze.

To assemble salad, toss hot dressing onto cold spinach, ¼ cup per salad.

Garnish with sliced mushrooms, julienned apples, and red onions.

Dip quail in glaze one more time. Rest quail, glazed and hot, atop the wilted spinach salad.


courtesy of: Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, 200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744, (800) 792-1112

1095. QUAIL and QUAIL EGG TARTLETS with CONFIT ONIONS, TRUFFLES, BACON and WILD MUSHROOMS

makes 4 servings


4 quails
16 poached quail eggs
7 oz. chopped mushroom caps
3 1/2 oz. summer truffles and other mushrooms

Confit onions
4 onions, sliced
2 oz. bacon, in small pieces
3 1/2 oz. heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
vegetable oil

4 tartlet shells
8 oz. white flour
2 oz. butter
1 egg yolk
2 oz. water
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Making the pastry: Make the pastry 4 hours in advance so that it firms up and loses some of its elasticity. Rub the butter and flour together until crumbly. In a bowl, combine the other ingredients; gradually blend into the first butter/flour mixture. Roll into a ball; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Line 4 well-buttered brioche molds with pastry. Refrigerate until completely chilled or until ready to use. Bake in a 325°F. oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven; cool and unmold.

Confit onions: Gently cook the onions in butter with a pinch of salt; drain in a strainer to remove the excess liquid and butter. Sauté the bacon bits in a few drops of oil until browned; drain. Pour the cream into the same skillet and reduce by half; add the onions and bacon; season with salt and pepper.

Preparing the quails and finishing: Roast the quails in a 400°F. oven for 6 minutes; let rest for 10 minutes; cut in half; debone the breast but leave the bone in the leg. Poach the quail eggs by breaking them into boiling water to which a little vinegar has been added. Remove with a strainer once the white begins to coagulate; refresh in cold water and set aside. Just before serving, reheat briefly by immersing them in boiling water for a few seconds with a strainer. Cook the spinach and drain. Divide among the tartlets. Sauté the mushrooms and summer truffles; season with salt and pepper; place on the spinach. Add a spoonful of confit onions and cover with 4 quail eggs. Garnish with boned quail and serve immediately.


courtesy of: Michael Caines, Gidleigh Park, Great Britain

994. COGNAC and BACON-BRAISED QUAIL with CROSTINI

8 boneless quail
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
4 strips bacon, diced
2 cups julienned onions
1 tablespoon garlic
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1/2 cup Cognac
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups reduced dark chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Grilled Crostini:
Olive oil
1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

Season the quail on both sides with the Essence.

In a large, deep saute pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the quail, breast side down, to the fat in the pan. Sear for 2 minutes on each side. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until slightly caramelized, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the quail and drain on paper towels. Carefully add the Cognac, and stir to deglaze and remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the Cognac has almost evaporated, add the red wine, chicken stock, thyme, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.

In a small bowl, make a beurre manie by combining the butter and flour and mashing with a fork until well combined. Set aside. Add the flour beurre manie, whisking to combine. Return the quail to the pan and reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Cover with the lid ajar and cook for 10 minutes. Return the bacon to the pan and stir. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste. Cover to keep warm until ready to serve. Preheat a grill.

Using a pastry brush, spread the oil over 1 side of the sliced bread. Place on the grill and cook until marked and slightly golden on both sides, about 2 minutes.

Place 2 crostini on each of 4 plates and arrange 1 quail on each. Spoon the sauce over the quail and serve.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

yields about 2/3 cup

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.


courtesy of: New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. William and Morrow, 1993

901. BACON-FRIED QUAIL with ONION GRAVY

yields 15 servings


30 quail, cleaned
salt
pepper
all-purpose flour
8 slices bacon
2 cups peanut oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2/3 cup minced onion
dash of garlic salt

Sprinkle quail with salt and pepper to taste; dredge in flour, and set aside. Fry bacon in a large skillet. Remove bacon, reserve for other uses. Add peanut oil to drippings in skilled; heat over medium heat. Add quail; cook 10-12 minutes on each side or until done. Remove quail from pan; drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in pan. Add flour to drippings, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add water, stirring well. Add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Stir in 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, and garlic salt.


courtesy of: The Virginia Waterfowlers' Association, P.O.Box 26002, Richmond, Virginia 23260

784. QUAIL and BACON STEW with WALNUTS

6 thick slices of fatty bacon, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 quail
1/2 lb. mushrooms (any kind), chopped
1 cup walnuts or hazelnuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups (10 oz) English ale
3/4 cup water
3 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
4 slices coarse brown bread.

Fry the bacon and garlic on its own fat in a large pot. Add quail and brown on all sides. Add mushrooms and nuts, cook for a couple of minutes. Add ale, water and bay leaves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, decrease the temperature and simmer covered for 2 to 2 1/2 hours until the birds are fully cooked and the meat is falling of the bones.

Place the birds on the bread slices, cover with the rest of the stew. Serve.


courtesy of: The British Museum Cookbook by Michelle Berriedale-Johnson. British Museum Publications, 1987

698. BOBWHITE QUAIL with CHESTNUT, WILD RICE and APPLE STUFFING, BACON, BOUDIN BLANC, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, BLUE PLUM MUSTARD and ROSEMARY

Serves 4

4 ea. bob white quail, boneless
1 c cooked wild rice
2 oz roasted chestnuts, chopped
2 oz dehydrated apples, brunoise
¼ tsp rubbed sage
½ tsp thyme leaves
¼ tsp minced rosemary
½ tsp garlic, minced
12 ea brussel sprouts, stemmed removed and quartered
1 tbl applewood bacon finely minced
1/4 cup chicken stock
4 ea 2 oz boudin blanc sausages or any fowl sausage
4 oz blue plum mustard (see recipe below)
4 oz quail-rosemary jus
pork crepinette
salt and pepper to taste

Remove the breast (french the wing bones) and legs from the carcass of the quail, reserve the carcasses for sauce.

Mix together wild rice, chestnuts, apples and herbs. Season the breasts with salt and pepper; stuff with the rice mixture and wrap the breasts with crepinette and tie.

In a medium hot sauté pan, pan roast the squab breast, rendering the crepinette,

When finished add boudin and baste until golden brown.

Add bacon to the rendered fat from the quail. Cook until crispy, add brussel sprouts, degrease the pan, add chicken stock and reduce to glaze the sprouts.

Place a dollop of plum mustard on a plate, using the back of a spoon or a small palate knife; spread the mustard to desired thickness. Arrange the quail on one end of the mustard, arrange brussel sprouts on the other end. Place boudin on the brussel sprouts. Drizzle quail jus over the quail and on the plate.


Blue Plum Mustard

18 ea blue plums, stones removed
2 c sugar (less/more to desired sweetness)
2 c red wine
1 c violet mustard

In a heavy bottom sauce pot, add plums, sugar and red wine. Simmer mixture for 1 hour and purée in a blender. Place back into the pot simmer to reduce to jam consistency, add mustard and cool.


courtesy of: R.J. Cooper III, Chef de Cuisine, Vidalia Restaurant, 1990 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202.659.1990

691. QUAIL BAKE with BACON

Serves 6


12 dressed quail
12 strips bacon
1 large onion, sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper

Wrap each quail with a strip of bacon. Sear in hot, oiled skillet until bacon is done. Set aside. Combine the cream of mushroom soup, chopped garlic clove, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Place the seared quail, breast up, in the baking dish and cover them with the sliced onion. Cover and bake at 350° until tender (about one hour). Excellent served over a bed of white or wild rice.


courtesy of: Northwest Gamebirds, 228812 E. Game Farm Road, Kennewick, Washington 99337

540. BACON and CABBAGE-STUFFED HUNTER'S QUAIL

4 quail
4 cups cabbage - shredded
4 slices bacon - cooked crisp and crumbled
16 large cabbage leaves
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
4 small apples - sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed tarragon
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Salt and pepper the quail. Combine shredded cabbage and bacon and stuff 1/4 of the mixture in the cavity of each bird. Wrap each quail with 4 whole cabbage leaves and tie with string. Put in Dutch oven on top of the stove.In a saucepan, place the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the birds and bring the liquid to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove string and cabbage leaves. Serve with sauce.


courtesy of: Ringneck Hunting Preserve, Ray & Deb Kalwara, 56 Olkowski Road, Candor, New York 13743, (607) 659-3208

400. PISTACHIO-STUFFED, BACON-WRAPPED QUAIL

serves four


4 semi-boneless quail
6 slices of room temperature bacon
2 ounces of chicken breast
1/2 cup of chopped chives
1/2 cup of toasted pistachios
salt and pepper

Note: If you are unable to find semi-boneless quail you may instead use bone-in quail and remove the bones yourself. Debone the quail removing the breast bone, the ribcage bones and the first leg bone. Cut off the wishbone and cut through the backbone if necessary. Gently and carefully run your fingers along the bones separating them from the remaining flesh. Reserve the bones for use in the chanterelle broth.

In a food processor puree the chicken, the chives and 2 slices of bacon until smooth. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. In a bowl add the pistachios.

Stuff each quail with several spoons of the pistachio mixture. Form each quail into a tight ball shaped roast. Wrap each quail with a slice of the remaining bacon. Cover as much of each breast as possible by only slightly overlapping the bacon as it extends several times around the quail. Tuck the ends of the bacon slice into each other on the side away from the breasts.

Roast each bird at 400 degrees until done. Ovens and quails vary it is best to judge doneness of the quail by the temperature of the stuffing which should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. On average this will take 20 to 30 minutes. The bacon will brown nicely along the way.

Let rest for several minutes then slice each quail in half through the center of the breasts. Serve immediately.


courtesy of: The Inn at Bay Fortune, Prince Edward Island & Nova Scotia, Canada

366. GRILLED QUAIL with BACON BARBECUE

yields 4 servings


8 quail, rib bones removed (about 4 ounces each)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Bacon-Barbecue Glaze, recipe follows

Preheat a grill.

Pat the quail dry with paper towels and position them in 1 layer on a baking sheet or large plate. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat each quail with some of the oil on both sides. Season the quail with the salt and pepper on both sides.

Transfer the quail to the grill and grill for 3 minutes on each side. Brush the quail with the bacon-barbecue glaze and cook for 1 minute longer, just until the glaze starts to caramelize, turning mid way to ensure even cooking on both sides. Serve immediately.

Bacon Barbecue Glaze:
1 pound bacon, diced
1 cup chopped yellow onions
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Place the bacon in a medium pot and cook until golden brown and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Remove all but 1/4 cup of bacon fat from the pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Stir well and bring to a boil. Add the sugar, salt, red pepper, and cooked bacon, and cook at a boil until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

With a hand-held immersion blender or in a food processor, lightly pulse to finely chop the bacon. Transfer to a bowl until ready to use.


courtesy of: Emeril Lagasse, The Essence of Emeril, 2002