Quail Stuffed with Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 whole quails, cleaned and boned
few pinches natural sea salt
pinch black pepper
vegetable oil for deep-frying ginkgo nuts
24 fresh ginkgo nuts, substituted with canned or vacuum-packed nuts
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
6-1/2 oz maitake mushrooms, stalk ends removed, cluster split into individual pieces, substitute with shimeji or shiitake
6-1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Season the inside of the boned quail with salt and pepper.
2. Heat some vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is about 176°F (80°C), deep-fry shelled ginkgo nuts to remove their skin. When the skin has split and peeled off in the oil, remove the nut and drain on a wire rack or on paper towels.
3. Heat 4 teaspoons fresh vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium—high heat and sauté the mushrooms, stirring with a wooden spatula so that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
4. When the mushrooms become limp, add the balsamic vinegar and ginkgo nuts and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
5. Stuff the quails with the cooled mushroom stuffing and plump them into their original shape.
6. Grill over charcoal or broil under an oven grill until the skin is crispy.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Shunju New Japanese Cuisine

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Pheasant Braised with Three Alcohols

Ingredients

2 pheasants
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic
8 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1/4 cup marsala
1/4 cup brandy
2/3 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/170°C.
2. Cut away the backbones, then slice each bird into two: cut down through the centre of the breastbone.
3. In a tray large enough to hold the halves side by side, heat the oil. Soften in it the finely sliced onion. Throw the garlic cloves in whole.
4. As the onion cooks, flatten out the pheasants as much as you can, either with the palm of your hand or alternatively with the flat of a cleaver.
5. Lay the sprigs of rosemary on top of the softened onions then lay the pheasant breasts down on top of that. Cook thus for 2-3 minutes on a high flame.
6. Take a fork and liberally prick the upper and still uncooked sides of the birds. Mix the marsala and brandy together and pour an equal amount over each bird. Cover the dish very tightly and place in the oven.
7. After 1-1/2 hours cooking, turn the birds, scooping all the onion and rosemary you can on to the tops of the breasts. Now add the white wine.
8. Return once more to the oven and continue cooking until the pheasants are very tender – about 1 hour more.
   Season the pan juices at the last minute and pour on top of the birds.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: The Complete Italian Cookbook

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Quails with Grapes

Ingredients

2 oz pancetta
4 large quails
3-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
vegetable oil
2 shallots, peeled
1/4 cup light white wine
1 tsp brown sugar
6 tbsp brown chicken stock
7 oz button mushrooms, wiped
1 sprig of thyme, leaves picked
8 grape leaves
small bunches of green and red grapes
salt
black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut the pancetta into 4 pieces and put one inside each quail.
3. Place a roasting pan on the stove top and heat 2 tablespoons of the butter with 1/2 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until foaming.
4. Season the quails and turn them in the butter and oil until golden, then place them in the hot oven to roast for about 8 minutes until cooked but still pink.
5. Remove the quails from the pan and leave them to rest in a warm place.
6. Add a finely chopped shallot to the roasting pan and cook gently until softened. Add the wine and sugar, then the stock and simmer for a few minutes.
7. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and stir in a tablespoon of butter to finish the sauce. Check the seasoning.
8. Set aside 12 of the mushrooms and finely chop the rest.
9. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a pan with the remaining shallot, finely chopped, and the thyme leaves, then add the chopped mushrooms. Once cooked, add a spoonful of the sauce to moisten the mixture. Divide this among 4 of the grape leaves and wrap them up into little parcels.
10. Briefly saute the whole mushrooms in the remaining butter until tender.
11. Peel the grapes if desired and remove any seeds if necessary.
12. Just before you’re ready to serve, pat the remaining grape leaves dry. Pour some vegetable oil into a frying pan to a depth of about 3/8 inch and heat. Shallow-fry the grape leaves until crisp. Meanwhile, place the stuffed grape leaves in a steamer over simmering water for a few minutes to reheat.
13. Serve the quail with the stuffed grape leaves and garnish with the button mushrooms, fried leaves, and a few grapes. If you have time, try fixing a few green and red grapes on to one stalk.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: The French Kitchen

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Swiss Chard and Turkey au Gratin

Ingredients

2 lb green or red Swiss chard, stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
1 cup frozen petite whole onions, thawed
3 skinless turkey breast cutlets, 4 oz each, halved crosswise
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 cup canned nonfat reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C). Coat a shallow (2-litre) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large pot or a Dutch oven, combine the chard with the garlic and 1 cup of the water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice, until the chard is wilted and barely tender, 10-15 minutes. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Add the onions.
3. Coat a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the turkey cutlets in a single layer and sprinkle with the pepper. Cook, turning once, until the turkey is lightly browned on the outside but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes.
4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the turkey and arrange on top of the chard.
5. In the turkey pan, bring the wine and lemon zest to a boil. Boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, for 3 minutes.
6. Add the chicken broth, 3/4 cup of the remaining water, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the paprika and return to a boil.
7. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add to the boiling broth, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute.
8. Pour the cornstarch mixture over the turkey and chard. Bake until the turkey is fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
9. Dust with the remaining paprika. Serve from the baking dish.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Mayo Clinic

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Quail with Fresh Figs

Ingredients

8 oven-ready quail, 5oz each
6 firm ripe figs, quartered
l tbsp butter
6 tbsp white Pineau de Charantes or dry sherry
1-1/4 cups chicken stock
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2-3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1-1/2 tsp cornstarch blended with l tbsp water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
green salad, to serve

Method

1. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Put a fig quarter in the cavity of each quail and tie the legs with string.
2. Melt the butter in a deep frying pan or heavy flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the quail and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning to brown all sides evenly; cook in batches if necessary.
3. Add the Pineau de Charantes or sherry and boil for 1 minute, then add the stock, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 20 minutes.
4. Add the remaining fig quarters and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes until the juices run clear when the thigh of a quail is pierced with a knife. Transfer the quail and figs to a warmed serving dish, cut off the trussing string and cover to keep warm.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil, then stir in the blended cornstarch. Cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened, then strain into a sauce boat.
6. Serve the quail and figs with the sauce and a green salad

Makes 4 servings.

Source: French Delicious Classic Cuisine Made Easy

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