Sauteed Quail Salad Recipes

GRILLED QUAIL SALAD WITH CREAMY GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Make vinaigrette:
• Mince garlic and in a small bowl stir together with mustard, vinegar, and cream. Add oils in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified, and season with pepper and salt.
• Roast and peel bell pepper . Cut pepper into 1/4-inch dice. Separate lettuce leaves from head, leaving them whole, and discard coarse stems from watercress. Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Prepare grill.
• Halve each quail lengthwise through breast and pat dry. Rub quail lightly all over with oil and season with pepper and salt. Grill quail on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until skin is well browned but meat is still pink. (Alternatively, grill quail in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)
• In a large bowl toss watercress and mushrooms with just enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. Arrange lettuce on each of 4 large plates and top with watercress mixture and bell pepper. Arrange quail on top of salad and sprinkle with tarragon. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.

SAUTEED QUAIL WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Sprinkle quail on all sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat half of butter in skillet, with lid, large enough to hold opened quail in one layer without crowding. Add quail, breast side down, in skillet, and cook until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Cook about 1 minute on second side until golden.
• Scatter shallots around quail and cook briefly, stirring. Sprinkle with Cognac and add broth. Cover and let simmer about 8 minutes. Add grapes, cover and cook 2 minutes more.
• Transfer quail to warm platter. Let sauce cook down 2 minutes. Swirl in remaining butter. Return quail to sauce. Heat sauce briefly and serve.

WARM SALAD WITH CRISPED SPINACH AND QUAIL

Steps:

• To make the sauce, place the olive oil, cream, vinegar, garlic, salt and Tabasco in a saucepan over medium heat. Boil, lower the heat and simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.
• To make the quail, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quail and saute about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet, season with salt, set aside and keep warm.
• To make the spinach, heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 350 degrees. Carefully add the spinach (the grease will splatter) and fry until crisp, about 1 minute. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
• To assemble the salads, divide the mesclun among 4 plates. Top with the quail and sprinkle with the basil. Spoon the sauce over it all and garnish with the fried spinach and pine nuts. Serve immediately.

SAUTEED QUAIL WITH PAPRIKA SAUCE AND MOROCCAN-SPICED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• With poultry shears or a sharp knife cut off necks, feet, and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Cut out and discard backbones and halve each quail lengthwise through breast.
• Make sauce:
• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt. In a small heavy skillet heat garlic paste and paprika in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and stir in lime juice and cayenne.
• Make quail:
• Pat quail dry and season with pepper and salt. Divide oil and butter between two 12-inch heavy skillets and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add quail and sauté, skin sides down, until skin is golden, about 2 minutes. Turn quail over and sauté 2 minutes more. Turn quail skin sides down and sauté 1 minute more, or until skin is golden brown but meat is barely pink for medium.
• Serve quail with Moroccan vegetables and bulgur pilaf or couscous. Drizzle paprika sauce over and around vegetables and quail.

GRILLED QUAIL SALAD

Steps:

• The quail may be prepared and seasoned the day before. If they are, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
• Carefully run a sharp knife lengthwise up and down one side of the backbone of each bird. Open each up, skin side down, on a flat surface, and carefully run the knife lengthwise up and down the other side of the backbone to cut it away. Discard the backbones.
• Gently press with the fingers on either side of the breast bones to make the birds lie flat. Carefully cut away breast bones, using the knife tip.
• Rub quail evenly on both sides with the mustard and oil. Smear them with the garlic, thyme, peppercorns and salt. Put the quail in a bowl and let stand until ready to use.
• When ready to cook quail, preheat a charcoal grill or the oven broiler to high.
• Arrange quail skin side down and flat on the charcoal grill or, if the broiler is to be used, place a rack on a baking dish and arrange the quail skin side up. Grill about 5 minutes on one side and turn. Cook 3 to 5 minutes longer.
• For the broiler, place quail about 4 inches from heat source. Broil about 4 minutes and turn. Broil about 3 to 5 minutes more.
• When ready to serve quail put the salad greens in a large skillet and start heating, stirring. Quickly pour the salad dressing over all and toss briefly until warm and the salad greens start to wilt. Do not overcook or allow greens to wilt completely.
• Arrange an equal portion of greens on each of 4 salad plates. Arrange 1 quail on each serving.

SAUTEED QUAIL WITH SHIITAKE PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle each quail with 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon oil, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and rub gently into cavity and skin. In a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow pan marinate quail, chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a plate with wax paper.
• Pat quail dry inside and out and in a shallow dish combine flour, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Dredge quail in mixture, 1 at a time, shaking off excess, and transfer to prepared plate.
• Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over moderately high heat until hot and add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter. Heat fat until foam begins to subside and sauté quail until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Transfer quail to a shallow baking pan and keep warm in oven.
• In fat remaining in skillet sauté mushrooms with garlic, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and add broth, Port, and remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes, and stir in vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
• On a cutting board halve quail and stir any quail juices from pan and board into sauce.

SAUTEED QUAIL BREAST WITH RAVIOLI AND CHANTERELLES

Steps:

• With a small sharp knife carefully remove the breast meat from the quail. Reserve the carcasses, including the legs and thighs, for use in making the essence of quail.
• Make the quail essence.
• Cook the ravioli by boiling them in two quarts of lightly salted water until just tender, about two minutes. Drain the ravioli and place them in the heated essence. Remove the leaves from the thyme, chop coarsely and add.
• Pat the quail breasts dry with paper towels, then season them lightly with salt pepper. Heat two tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch frying pan. When the butter is hot but not smoking place the breast in the pan, skin side down. Cook over high heat until the skin is crisp and golden (about a minute). Turn the meat and cook 10 seconds more. Remove from the pan immediately.
• In a separate pan saute the chanterelles in remaining butter for five minutes. Set aside.
• Place five ravioli and some sauce on a heated plate. Place two sauteed breasts on each mound of ravioli, garnish with chanterelles and thyme and serve.