Grilled Charmoula Quail Recipes

GRILLED QUAIL WITH SOUTH CAROLINA BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce first. Heat the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté until it turns translucent, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add everything else, stir well and simmer slowly for 20 minutes or more. You can buzz it in a blender for a smooth sauce.
• To flatten the quail, use kitchen shears to remove the backbones of the birds by cutting along either side. Put the quail breast side up on a cutting board and press to flatten. If you want to be fancy, carefully snip out the ribs and the curved saber bones near the wishbone. Salt the quail and toss them in the vegetable oil.
• Get your grill hot and lay your quail breast side up. Grill over high heat with the grill lid down for 5 minutes. As it cooks, paint the breast side with the sauce. Turn the quail over and paint the cooked side with sauce. Grill the breast side with the grill cover up for 2 minutes, then turn over again and paint with the sauce one more time. Cover the grill and cook another 2 to 4 minutes. Take off the grill and paint with sauce one more time.

EASY GRILLED QUAIL

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Combine parsley, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add olive oil and stir until evenly combined. Brush seasoned oil over both sides of the quail.
• Grill for 8 minutes. Carefully flip with tongs and grill for 8 minutes more.

GRILLED CHARMOULA QUAIL

Steps:

• Break cinnamon stick in half, then finely grind cinnamon, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, and cloves together in grinder. Transfer spice mixture to a large bowl and whisk in paprika, cayenne, ginger, salt, cilantro, garlic, and oil. Add quail, turning to coat, then transfer to a large sealable plastic bag and marinate, chilled, 2 hours.
• Thirty minutes before cooking, prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas); see "Grilling Procedure," below.
• Arrange 2 quail on a work surface side by side, breast sides up, with drumsticks closest to you. Horizontally thread 1 skewer through drumsticks and the lower carcasses of birds. Thread a second skewer, parallel to first, through wings and upper carcasses, then arrange quail so that there is 1 inch of space between the birds. Repeat procedure on remaining quail, 2 at a time.
• Lightly season quail with salt, then grill on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning over once, 5 to 6 minutes total. Serve quail with lemon wedges.

GRILLED CHARMOULA LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Break cinnamon sticks into 1-inch pieces and finely grind in batches in an electric coffee/spice grinder with coriander, cumin, and cloves. Stir together with paprika and cayenne.
• Stir together 1/4 cup oil and 1 tablespoon garlic in a large bowl and add 25 lamb chops, tossing to coat. Season with salt and toss with 1/4 cup spice mixture and 1 cup cilantro to coat. Transfer coated lamb to sealable plastic bags and coat remaining meat in same manner. Marinate, chilled, at least 2 hours.
• Prepare grill.
• Season lamb with salt and grill in batches on an oiled rack about 4 minutes on one side, then 2 minutes on the other for medium-rare. (Alternatively, broil lamb under a preheated broiler 2 to 3 inches from heat.) Serve lamb warm or at room temperature.
• To make 6 servings:
• Follow the directions above using the following ingredient amounts:
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 tablespoons paprika (not hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 (8-rib) racks of lamb, frenched to the eye (about 2 3/4 lb. frenched)
• 4 cups chopped fresh cilantro (4 large bunches)

CHARMOULA

Steps:

• Stir cumin in small skillet over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to mortar. Add garlic; pound with pestle until paste forms. Transfer to bowl. Mix in cilantro and next 4 ingredients. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

GRILLED QUAIL, TUSCAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Start wood or charcoal fire or preheat gas grill or broiler.
• Cut along each side of the breastbone of each bird, then straight down through where thigh meets body to get 2 semi-boneless halves from each bird. (Don't worry if skin holding thigh and drumstick together separates.) Combine with all other ingredients in bowl or heavy plastic bag and stir or shake to coat. If time allows, marinate for an hour or so.
• Grill quail, turning as needed, until browned and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

CHARCOAL-GRILLED STUFFED QUAIL

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.

GRILLED CHARMOULA LAMB CHOPS

Steps:

• Blend all ingredients except lamb chops in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Pat chops dry and transfer to a plate, then rub chops all over with 2 tablespoons charmoula and marinate, covered, at room temperature 30 minutes.
• While chops marinate, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.
• Grill chops, covered only if using a gas grill, on lightly oiled grill rack, turning over once, until medium-rare, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and let stand, loosely covered, 10 minutes.