Stuffed Quail with Pearl Barley Recipe (2024)

1

Begin by making the chicken jus – you can make this ahead of time and reheat later if desired. Place a medium-sized pan over a high heat, add a splash of oil and the chicken bones and fry until golden brown. Remove the chicken bones from the pan, set aside, and add the chopped vegetables. Cook until golden

  • 1 1/2 celery sticks, chopped
  • 330g of chicken bones
  • 2 shallots, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • olive oil, for frying

2

Place the roasted chicken bones back in the pan with the vegetables and add the white wine. Bring to the boil and reduce by three-quarters. Add the chicken stock, veal stock, garlic, thyme and bay leaf, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer. Skim away any impurities that have risen to the surface

  • 330ml of white wine
  • 660ml of chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 sprig of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 660ml of veal stock

3

Cook the sauce for 45 minutes, skimming occasionally, then pass through muslin cloth into a clean pan and return to a high heat. Leave to reduce until the sauce has thickened nicely

4

Next prepare the stuffing for the quails – it is wise to get the birds prepped ahead of time to save on stress later. Fry the chopped garlic in a little oil until soft, then combine with the rest of the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Fry off a small patty of the stuffing to check the seasoning, as this is the only opportunity you'll have to taste it, and adjust as necessary

  • 12g of tarragon, finely chopped
  • 250g of sausage meat
  • 75g of pork back fat, finely diced
  • 35g of chicken livers, trimmed, cleaned and diced
  • 1/2 shallot, finely diced
  • 1/2 garlic clove, chopped and lightly sweated
  • 125g of chutney
  • 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2.5g of sea salt
  • 1g of white pepper
  • 12g of chervil, finely chopped
  • 12g of parsley, finely chopped

5

Place the quails on the table with the front of the bird facing you. Place a small amount of the stuffing into the legs, where the bone would be, roll a small amount of the stuffing into a sausage shape and stuff into the cavity of the birds. Use a trussing needle and butchers twine to sew the quails up. Using more string, tie the bird back up so it looks like an oven-ready bird. Set aside while you prepare the other elements

  • 4 quails, deboned from the bottom up and trimmed of any excess fat, you can ask your butcher to do this for you

6

For the carrots, place the butter in a pan with a lid which is big enough for the carrots to lie lengthways. Set over a medium heat – once the butter starts to foam, add the carrots. Cover, turn down the heat and cook gently for 1 hour. Season to taste

  • pepper
  • 8 small carrots
  • 250g of salted butter
  • salt

7

Neatly peel the parsnips, making sure they keep their shape. Place in a pan, add the butter and cover with cold water and a little salt. Place over a high heat, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 15–20 minutes, or until tender

  • salt
  • 8 baby parsnips
  • 250g of salted butter

8

Peel the onions, keeping them whole, and blanch in rapidly boiling water. Melt the butter in a pan set over a medium heat. When it starts to foam, add the thyme, bay leaves and onions and cook until they are just tender. Remove the onions from the pan and slice in half

  • 1 knob of butter
  • 12 small onions
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig of thyme

9

Preheat a frying pan over a high heat, add a splash of rapeseed oil and cook the onions in the pan cut-side down until browned and caramelised

  • rapeseed oil

10

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

11

To cook the quails, heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Season the birds with salt and seal all over until golden brown in a dash of oil. Place in the centre of the oven for 10–12 minutes

12

While the quails are cooking, prepare the pearl barley. Place a large pan over a low heat and add 50g of the butter. Once foaming, add the leek and gently cook until soft. Add the pearl barley and white wine and allow the wine to reduce by three-quarters

  • 50g of salted butter
  • 125ml of white wine
  • 100g of pearl barley, soaked overnight in water and drained
  • 1/2 leek, thinly sliced

13

Add enough chicken stock to cover and stir well, letting the pearl barley absorb the stock before adding more. Proceed in this manner until the pearl barley is tender and all of the stock has been absorbed

  • 1l chicken stock, heated to boiling

14

Remove the quails from the oven and leave to rest for 20–30 minutes. Remove the string before serving

15

To finish the pearl barley, beat in the remaining butter and the Parmesan

  • 75g of salted butter
  • 40g of Parmesan, grated

16

When ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce and finish it by adding a splash of white wine, a small knob of butter and the chopped herbs. Stir the herbs into the pearl barley just before serving

  • 1 dash of white wine
  • 10g of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 10g of chervil, chopped
  • 10g of chives, chopped
  • 1/2 bunch of chervil, finely chopped
  • 1/4 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

17

To serve, place a portion of the pearl barley onto the centre of each plate with a whole quail on top. Place two of the carrots, two of the parsnips and the onion halves around the outside of the plate, arranging them to give height to the dish. Spoon the jus over the quail, finish with a few carrot tops and serve

  • carrot tops
Stuffed Quail with Pearl Barley Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the preferred cooking method for quail? ›

The easiest way to cook them is in a basket (like one used to cook fish) or skewered like shrimp. Pre-heat grill to a medium-high heat. Grill the legs on one side for about 3-5 minutes then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

How do you truss a stuffed quail? ›

Follow these steps:
  1. Legs: Cross the quail's legs and tie them together with butcher's twine. ...
  2. Wings: Tuck the quail's wings behind its back and tie them down with another piece of twine. ...
  3. Trim Excess Twine: Once the quail is trussed, trim any excess twine with kitchen shears to avoid it burning in the oven.
Jan 21, 2024

How long does it take for a quail to cook? ›

For my oven, roasting quail for 14 minutes at 525 degrees is the sweet spot. The skin gets crispy after 14 minutes and the meat is still juicy. Depending on your oven, if you can go higher than 525 degrees, consider roasting it for 12 to 13 minutes. If 500 is as high as you can go, roast for 15 to 16 minutes.

Do you need to soak quail before cooking? ›

You don't need to marinate or brine the quail, but since the meat is lean and fairly dry, doing so can reduce the risk of drying the meat out during the cooking process.

What wine goes with stuffed quail? ›

Depending on the stuffing or sauce, an Oregon Pinot Noir, Beaujolais from France or Washington state Merlot would all work well with quail.

How do I make my quail comfortable? ›

Provide your quail with at least 1 square foot of floor space, more will be even better. Hot or cold temperatures. Bring the quail inside a warm room during winter and keep them in the shade during summer depending on how cold/hot it gets in your area. Cold quail will huddle up and hot quail will pant.

How do you prepare a quail? ›

Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Rub the quail with half the olive oil, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. ...
  2. After about 10 minutes of roasting, baste with remaining mixture, then continue to roast until done, about 10 minutes more. Serve birds hot, with pan juices, or warm or at room temperature.

Should you eat quail bones? ›

Quails have a good ratio of meat to bones, and given tenderness and small size, the bones are usually eaten as well, instead of being removed. Quails have a delicate flesh with a taste that's similar to chicken, but more flavorful.

How do you know when quail is done? ›

Once both sides are browned, move the quail to the middle or indirect heat on the grill. Continue cooking with this indirect heat until its interior temperature is around 165F, 10–12 minutes more.

Can you eat quail bones? ›

As a food, these birds are found in many cultures around the world. While quail might not be a common dish today, humans have been consuming them for centuries. Unlike many other animals, quail bones are soft when cooked, and rather than remove them, many eat the bones as well as the meat.

How is quail served? ›

Grilled, broiled, or sautéed, they're almost impossible to ruin. The medium-dark flesh has a mildly gamey flavor that readily takes to being marinated, stuffed, or highly seasoned. They are small, so allow one quail per person for an hors d'oeuvre, and at least 2 per person for an entrée.

What is the most suitable method for cooking poultry? ›

Tips & Techniques > Cooking Methods for Poultry Breasts
  • Most Suitable: Dry Heat: pan frying, baking/roasting, grilling, shallow frying, deep frying, stir frying, sauteing. ...
  • Suitable: Dry-heat: searing, broiling.
  • Less Suitable: Moist-heat: simmering, boiling, braising, stewing, pot roasting.

Is it better to steam or boil quail eggs? ›

Once the water has reached a hard boil, add the quail eggs. Next, you will need to set your timer for 10 minutes, if you'd like a soft boiled egg the steaming time is 8 minutes. Keep in mind, anything longer than 10 minutes will cause the egg whites to become rubbery in texture.

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