Roasted Quail with Dandelion and Red Mustard Greens Salad and Boysenberry Game Jus

Source: Dmitry Elperin, The Village Pub

Recipe Type: | Seasons:

This recipe was demonstrated on June 25, 2011

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

Quail
4 whole quail, boneless (ask your butcher to remove the bones, saving them for the game jus)
1 tablespoon oregano, leaves picked and chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, leaves picked and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Dandelion and mustard green salad
1 cup baby mustard greens, washed and dried
2 cups baby dandelion greens, washed and dried
3 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste1.   

Game Jus
1 pound quail bones (you can substitute squab or chicken leg bones)
3 tablespoons canola oil
6 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
5 brown mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
4 generous cups dry white wine
3 quarts chicken stock
10 black peppercorns
2 sprigs thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Banyuls vinegar, to taste

Boysenberry Game Jus
1 pint game jus
1 teaspoon Banyuls vinegar
1 pint boysenberries
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

For the quail

1. Toss the quail in a bowl with the chopped herbs, salt, pepper and olive oil. Set the quail aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2.    When you are ready to cook: heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Place the marinated quail breast side down and sear for three minutes. Turn the quail over and cook for three more minutes. Place the quail on a plate to rest until you are ready to serve.

For the salad

1.    Place the washed mustard and dandelion greens in a salad bowl.

2.    In a small mixing bowl whisk together the Banyuls vinegar, the extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to make vinaigrette. 

3.    When you are ready to serve, toss the greens in the bowl with the vinaigrette.

For the game jus

1.  Chop the bird bones in to small pieces (you can have your butcher do this for you). Place a 3-quart sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the canola oil. When the oil starts to smoke, gently place the bones into the pot.  Brown the bones in the oil, stirring the bones only when they’ve caramelized on one side. Once the bones are brown all over and the bottom of the pan has developed color, remove the bones from the pot and reserve.

2.  In the same pot add the chopped shallots, garlic and mushrooms; sauté until golden brown. Add the tomato paste and the reserved bones to the pot; stir to incorporate. Add half of the white wine to the pot and reduce by half.  Add the rest of the wine and the chicken stock to the pot along with the black peppercorns and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

3.  Strain the jus through a fine mesh strainer into a clean sauce pot. Bring back to a simmer and reduce by half. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and a splash of Banyuls vinegar.

For the boysenberry game jus

1. In a small sauce pot heat the game jus over medium heat. Add the Banyuls vinegar and the boysenberries. Simmer the sauce for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil; season with salt and pepper and reserve.

2. To serve as an appetizer: Divide the dressed salad between four plates. Place the quail on the salad. Spoon the boysenberry sauce around the salad and over the quail. Serve.

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