Quail In The Pan With Porcini Recipes

GRILLED QUAIL WITH PORCINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Wipe the quails dry with paper towels. Cut them down the back and spread them out flat.
• Combine two cloves garlic, the rosemary, one-quarter cup olive oil and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Marinate the three quails at room temperature for two hours, turning from time to time.
• Meanwhile soak the porcini in the hot water for 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold running water. Squeeze dry and set aside. Strain the soaking liquid through coffee filter paper, cheesecloth or paper towels and set aside.
• Heat the remaining olive oil and the butter in a large skillet. Add the remaining garlic, the porcini and the prosciutto and saute until the garlic just begins to turn golden. Add the mushroom soaking liquid and cook, stirring from time to time, until the soaking liquid has almost entirely evaporated (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, preheat grill or coals.
• Add the fresh mushrooms to the skillet and cook another five to seven minutes. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Grill the quail, cooking the skin side first and turning once or twice for 10 minutes, or until the birds are cooked. Baste with their marinade as you cook and be careful not to overcook them or the meat will be dry.
• Serve the quail on individual serving plates and spoon the mushroom sauce around them.

MUSHROOM-STUFFED QUAIL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Lay the quail skin side down on a baking sheet and season lightly with 1 tablespoon of the Creole seasoning. Insert 1 portion of the mushroom stuffing into the cavity of each quail and wrap the bird around it. Replace each bird on the baking sheet, breast side up. Brush the butter over the quails and season with the remaining tablespoon of Creole seasoning.
• Roast until the birds are tender and golden brown, 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve 2 quails per person. Serve with Truffle Sauce.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are wilted and begin to caramelize. Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan and until the liquid has almost all evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the mushrooms to the bowl of a food processor. Add the cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, basil, and oregano, and process on high speed to a thick paste.
• Transfer to a bowl and divide into 8 equal portions. With your hands, pack each portion into a tight ball. Set aside until ready to stuff the quail.
• In a mixing bowl, mix the butter and truffle oil together. Place the butter on plastic wrap, form a log and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until firm. In a saucepan, combine the white wine, shallots and garlic. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook for 1 minute. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces. Reduce the heat to medium-low and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time. Reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm. Garnish with shaved truffles and chives.

PAN-ROASTED QUAIL WITH PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a wire whisk, combine the marinade ingredients in a stainless steel bowl. Add the quail and rub thoroughly with the marinade, inside and out. (Don't be afraid to use your hands.) Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
• The Port Sauce accompaniment may be made while the quail is marinating. Combine the bones, vegetables, and seasonings in a roasting pan and roast in a 375°F oven for 2 hours, turning occasionally, until everything is well browned.
• Transfer the bones and vegetables to a heavy-bottomed stockpot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil, add the beef and veal stock or beef broth, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook 1 1/2 hours. Strain this rich stock into another saucepan, add the cup of port, and simmer again to reduce liquid to 1 1/2 cups. At this point the sauce may be cooled and refrigerated for up to two days. Rewarm the sauce during the quail's preparation and add the final enrichment of port and butter just prior to serving. This will both enhance the final flavor and give the sauce a silken sheen.
• To cook the quail, preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a castiron or other heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Drain the quail of excess marinade and pan roast, uncovered, until mahogany in color (about 3 minutes on each side). Place the ovenproof skillet and quail in the oven for 9 minutes. Serve immediately with the port sauce.

BRAISED QUAILS WITH WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Season the quails with salt, and pepper. Melt half the butter with a drop of oil in a heavy casserole, and brown the quails on all sides over medium-high heat. Cook's Note: you could also use lard. Remove the quail from the pan, and set aside. Add the bacon to the pan, brown it, and remove. Finally, fry the onion until golden, adding more fat to the pan beforehand, if needed.
• Stir the flour into the onions, and cook 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring up the good bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the onions, bacon and quails to the pot. Pour over the stock, cover, and simmer until the quails are just cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining butter (a little more if you like) and cook each type of mushroom separate, as the various types cook differently. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper as you go, then, at the end, toss them all together with the chopped parsley.
• When the quails are done, remove them from the cooking liquid and keep them warm while you boil the juices, uncovered, to reduce to thin sauce consistency. Add the mushrooms to the sauce. Tilt into a serving dish, set the quails on top, and serve.