Best Fragrant Crispy Quail Recipes

BARBECUED QUAIL WITH SPICED SALT AND LEMON

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, pierce each quail through the breastbone, and flatten out the bird with the palm of your hand. Score down both sides of the spine and remove the backbone.
• Add the sesame seeds, cumin and 2 teaspoons sea salt to a small frying pan over medium heat. Toast the spiced salt mixture, stirring frequently, until the sesame seeds are fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Preheat a barbecue grill plate to high heat.
• Brush each quail evenly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill the quail, skin side down, until the outside is crisp and the interior is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle each quail with a dash of the spiced salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

CRISP QUAIL WITH PINEAPPLE AND GREEN ONION

Steps:

• Place the quail quarters on a plate and toss with the marinade. Let marinate 1 hour, up to 6 hours, refrigerated.
• Prepare the sauce: In a medium skillet, over high heat, combine the wine and ginger and reduce by half. Pour in the stock with the cinnamon stick and cook until the sauce thickens. Add the chili oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Whisk in the butter and correct seasoning to taste. Keep warm.
• In a deep, heavy saucepan or a deep-fryer, heat about 3 inches of peanut oil to 350 degrees F.
• Pour the rice flour into a small bowl and make a thick batter using 1/2 to 3/4 cup water. Transfer the quail from the marinade to a clean plate. Pour enough of the batter over the quail to coat well, reserving a little batter. Deep fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain on a clean towel and toss in the reserved sauce. Quail is best when still pink on the inside.
• Coat the green onions with the remaining batter and fry until golden, 1 or 2 minutes. Drain on clean toweling.
• To serve, arrange the pineapple slices in a circle around the outer edges of a large ovenproof plate. Warm in the oven. Pile the quail in the center and poke the green onions into the quail at various intervals. Serve immediately.
• Chili Oil: 1 cup peanut, light sesame or olive oil 1/4 cup dried red chile flakes
• In a saucepan, heat the oil. Stir in the chile pepper flakes and remove from the heat.
• Cool. Store in a covered jar and use as needed.

PAN-COOKED QUAIL, VIETNAMESE-STYLE

Steps:

• Cut along each side of breastbone of each bird, then straight down through where thigh meets body to get 2 semi-boneless halves from each bird. (Don't worry if skin holding thigh and drumstick together separates.) Combine other ingredients except oil, herb and lime wedges and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in a refrigerator, if you have time.
• Drain quail of marinade and strain and reserve marinade. Pat birds dry. If you have a skillet large enough to hold quail in one layer, put oil in it; if not, put 2 tablespoons of oil in each of two skillets. Turn heat to high and, when oil is hot, sauté quail, skin-side down, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side for 2 or 3 minutes, or until quail are cooked through. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
• Lower heat and remove any excess fat from skillet (there may not be any). Add strained marinade, along with 1/4 cup water, and raise heat to high. Cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Spoon over quail and serve immediately, garnished, if you like, with herbs and lime.

ROASTED QUAIL WITH JUNIPER BERRIES AND BALSAMIC VINEGAR

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• With poultry shears or a sharp knife cut off necks, feet, and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Finely chop garlic. Finely chop juniper berries and sprinkle half inside quail. Season quail inside and out with pepper and salt.
• In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add quail, breast sides down, and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer quail to a plate and wipe skillet clean. In skillet melt butter and add quail, breast sides up. Transfer quail to middle of oven and roast, basting twice, until meat is pink for medium-rare, about 8 minutes. Transfer quail to a platter. Add garlic and remaining juniper berries to skillet and cook over low heat, stirring, 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Remove skillet from heat and stir in vinegar and any quail juices that have accumulated on platter. Spoon sauce over quail.