Sherried Quail Casserole Recipes

FRAGRANT CRISPY QUAIL

Steps:

• Rinse the quail and pat dry with paper towels. Check for pin feathers and pluck any you find.
• To make the marinade, select a large, shallow bowl or deep plate that fits in your steamer tray. Add the salt, ginger juice, and wine and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the quail and use your fingers to coat each bird well with the marinade. Then, spoon the marinade into their cavities and rub it in with your fingers. Fold back each wing so that the wing tip is behind the neck, as if the quail is relaxing. Arrange the quail so that there is minimal overlap, to ensure even cooking. Put the bowl in the steamer tray and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the steamer tray, cover, and steam the quail for 9 to 11 minutes, or until there is no visible sign of pink rawness at the breast end. (Because the final frying is brief, the quail should be cooked through at this point. However, be careful not to steam away their juiciness.) While the quail steam, place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• When the quail are ready, transfer them to the rack, angling them as if they are reclining or standing, so the liquid in the cavities drains out. When cool enough to handle, blot dry with paper towels, removing any bits of residue from the skin.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and soy sauce. Using your fingers, coat each quail evenly with the mixture. Place the quail on a plate. Wash and dry the rack and return it to the baking sheet.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cornstarch in a zip-top plastic bag. Standing near the sink, put a quail into the bag and shake a few times to dust lightly. Remove the quail and pat it between your hands over the sink to remove excess cornstarch. Put the quail, breast side up, on the rack. Repeat with the remaining quail, adding the remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch to the bag as needed. Set the quail aside for about 3 hours. As the quail sit, they will dry and absorb the cornstarch. They are ready to fry when most of the powdery white coating has turned light brown. Just before frying, give each quail a quick pat to remove any excess cornstarch.
• Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a wok or 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. (If you don't have a thermometer, stand a dry bamboo chopstick in the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather on the surface around the chopstick, the oil is ready.)
• Because the quail brown quickly, you need to use a two-hands, two-utensils frying technique. With a skimmer in one hand and a large spoon in the other, lower a quail into the hot oil. Then immediately spoon the hot oil over the quail so that it fries to a nice, even brown. This only takes 30 to 45 seconds. To make sure the quail is browning evenly, occasionally use both utensils to lift and dip or rotate it in the oil. Because the color deepens slightly once the quail is out of the pan, pull it from the oil when it is just shy of a rich brown. Balance it between the skimmer and spoon as you lift it out, letting any excess oil drip back into the pan, and then return the quail to the rack. Repeat with the remaining quail. Once all the quail are fried, use a paper towel to blot away any clinging oil.
• To serve, cut each quail in half along the breastbone and place on a large platter. Take to the table and start nibbling.
• Notes
• These quail may be reheated in a preheated 350°F oven or toaster oven. Halve them first and put them cut side down to reheat. They are ready when you can hear them gently sizzling, usually about 10 minutes.
• You may also serve these quail with Salt, Pepper, and Lime Dipping Sauce (page 311); omit the chiles if desired.

GRANDMA'S QUAIL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Heat the shortening in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
• Season the quail with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper to taste. Place the flour in a shallow dish; roll the quail in the flour.
• Working in batches, brown the quail on all sides in the preheated shortening. Place the browned quail in a large roasting pan or casserole dish; pour the water over the quail and cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), taken in the thickest part of the thigh. Spoon the sour cream over the quails, allow the sour cream to melt before serving.

BAKED QUAIL WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Combine 1/3 cup flour, salt, and pepper; dredge quail in flour mixture; set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a big skillet; add in mushrooms and saute 4 minutes.
• Remove mushrooms from skillet; set aside.
• Melt ½ cup butter in skillet; brown quail on both sides.
• Remove quail to a 1 ½ quart casserole.
• Add ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour to pan drippings; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Gradually add in chicken broth and sherry; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until gravy is thickened and bubbly; stir in mushrooms.
• Pour mushroom gravy over quail; cover and bake in a preheated 350° oven for 1 hour.
• Serve over rice.

QUAIL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix the flour and salt (more salt to taste).
• Split the birds down the back and dust them lightly with the flour and salt mix.
• Melt the butter in a skillet and place the birds skin side down. Turn over and sautee until they are brown on both sides.
• Place the birds in a large casserole with a lid. Chop the mushrooms and add them, along with the parsley, to the top of the birds.
• Pour in enough wine to cover the birds half-way. Cover.
• Bake for 1 hour.
• To serve, spoon the wine gravy over the top.

SHERRIED QUAIL CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Sauté the quail in butter for 10 minutes. Remove the birds and sauté onions and celery in butter remaining in skillet for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cornstarch dissolved in bouillon and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in sherry and parsley. Arrange quail in shallow casserole and pour sauce over them. Bake in moderate oven (350°F) for 15 minutes.