I had a bad experience once with Quail, many years ago at Domaine Hudson (which I’m only saying because they’re permanently closed). I went there for a Valentine’s Day dinner with my husband and ordered the quail; he ordered venison.
After cutting into the bird and seeing how undercooked it was, I asked the waiter about it. He told me that was how it was meant to be eaten. I couldn’t do it. My husband very kindly took the quail and gave me the venison. Poor guy. The next 12 hours or so were extremely unpleasant for him and destroyed any hope of a romantic evening. ‘Nuff said.
But all these years later, I thought I’d give them another try, as long as I controlled the cooking and internal temperature.
These birds are very tiny, so you’ll need 2 per person for an entree - one is fine for an appetizer. I ordered mine shipped fresh from D’Artagnan, since I haven’t been able to find them around here at any of my favorite haunts.
This is a very quick and easy meal and can be done in well under an hour.
INGREDIENTS
Quail
4 quail
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic - or as much as you like
20 fresh sage leaves,
6 tablespoons olive oil
Polenta
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 cup dry polenta
1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD
Dry the quail on paper towels for 5 minutes or so on each side. In a blender or mortar and pestle, combine the rest of the quail ingredients until fully incorporated but still chunky. Place in a heavy plastic bag and add the quail one at a time, moving them gently in the paste so all are covered. If time allows, marinate for an hour or so.
Preheat your grill to about 350.
Add the quail, turning as needed, until browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes on each side. The internal temp should be 165.
Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and milk to a boil, then whisk in salt and polenta. Reduce heat to low and continue whisking to remove any lumps.
Cover and cook 20-25 minutes, until thick and creamy. If mixture is too thick, stir in more milk or water until loosened.
Remove from heat, and stir in cheese and butter until melted. Serve quail on top of the polenta and garnish with some fresh sage.
You’re supposed to be able to eat the bones since the quail are so small, but I did not.
Second chances aside, who wants to temp fate?
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