There's just something about roasted poultry. It always leaves me with a warm, satisfied feeling, unlike any of the other scorched meats. You can always pick up a roasted chicken from your local market and guarantee yourself a great time, but why not give the smaller, more delicate versions a go?
Ingredients
Quails
8 whole quail, washed, dried with paper towel
1 lemon, cut into eighths
2 tbsp butter
8 garlic cloves
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves picked
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt & ground black pepper, to taste
Herb Butter
3 tbsp butter, at
room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh
thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh
rosemary leaves, finely chopped
2 large garlic
cloves, crushed
Salt & ground
black pepper, to taste·
Risotto
2 cups
chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp
butter
1 medium
onion, chopped
2 cloves
of garlic, chopped
1 cup
risotto rice, arborio or carnaroli
1 cup
red wine
grated
parmesan, to serve
Quail
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. To make the herb butter, place the softened butter, thyme, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine.
3. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin over the quail breasts. Spread herb butter over the breasts and then re-cover with the skin. Rub remaining herb butter over the rest of the quail.
4. Divide the lemon, butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary among the cavities of the quail. Tie the legs together with string.
5. Place the quail in a roasting pan. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the juices are pale pink. Remove the quail from the roasting pan and place on a large plate. Cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes to rest.
6. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium heat. Add the stock and white wine and cook for 1 minute, scraping with a wooden spoon to dislodge any fond left on the base of the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes or until reduced by 1/2. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve the quail with the sauce.
Risotto
1. Heat the stock in a
medium saucepan and keep it warm at the side of the stove. Melt half the butter
in a shallow saucepan or casserole, add the onion with salt and pepper and
sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft, but not browned. Add garlic and saute for another
2 minutes. Stir in the rice stirring constantly until it absorbs the butter,
about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in about half
the wine with a little salt and pepper and simmer, stirring until the rice
starts to dry, 5-7 minutes. Add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock and continue
simmering, stirring gently. When the rice dries again and needs more liquid,
add the remaining wine.
3. Continue cooking,
stirring and adding more stock in batches. At the end of cooking, the rice
should be tender, still slightly al dente and creamy. This will take 25 to 35
minutes and don’t hesitate to use plenty of stock.
4. Take the risotto
from the heat, add the remaining butter in pieces, and stir it into the rice as
it melts. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Finish with fresh parmesan and serve
with quail and roasted beets.
