WINNER! {Entrée} Required major ingredient: South Carolina-harvested or -raised fish or game Lou Rena HammondWhen Lou’s husband took up hunting, the PR pro found herself with a freezer full of birds but few ways to prepare them. So she started collecting recipes into a “quail cookbook.” Inspired by a lamb dish and her time in the Middle East, Lou created the sweet and tangy Classy Quail. “The combination of pomegranate, spices, and pistachios was so on target,” says Marion Sullivan. “Plus,” adds Lou, “everything’s better with bacon, butter, and black pepper!”
1 large garlic clove, peeled and cut into several pieces
3 Tbs. chilled butter, cut into half-inch pieces
1/2 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for seasoning
Few grinds fresh nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cumin, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground salt and pepper
2 slices uncooked bacon, cut into two-inch squares for eight squares total
1/4 cup panko (bread crumbs)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
Minced fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
Soak quail in buttermilk in refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight. When ready to cook, drain quail, rinse thoroughly with water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine one cup pomegranate juice, currants, and garlic in a pan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, until syrupy and reduced to one-third cup. Transfer to a mini-processor. Add butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cumin. Pulse until coarse purée forms. Place processor bowl in freezer until mixture is slightly firm, about 10 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray. Place quail breast-side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place a bacon square on each quail. Mix panko and pistachios. Spread pomegranate butter over birds, then sprinkle with panko mixture. Using plastic wrap, firmly press panko mixture into quail so it will adhere. Roast quail until cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes (timing depends on size of quail).
Remove quail to a platter. In a small saucepan, mix pan juices with remaining pomegranate juice and boil until syrupy, several minutes. Season with dashes of cinnamon, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spoon pomegranate sauce over quail and sprinkle with parsley.
TIP: To give the quail a smoky flavor, grill it for one to two minutes on each side, then roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
Small twigs, grass stems, leaves and feathers line the nest. Average life expectancy for a wild quail is 1.5 years although on occasion they may live for up to four years. Mature birds average eleven inches long and weigh from 5.1 to 6.5 ounces (160 to 200 grams.)
Soak quail in buttermilk in refrigerator for at least six hours or overnight. When ready to cook, drain quail, rinse thoroughly with water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Quails make great pets and are quite easy to care for.
Many people fall in love with their funny little personalities and their quirky behaviour. Quails are ground dwelling birds meaning they spend their whole lives on the ground. It is very unusual for them to perch.
The cost of raising quail for meat can vary depending on a number of factors, including the cost of feed, housing, and other supplies. We tracked all of our quail raising supply expenses starting out and they came to about $1000. Granted, we didn't go cheap on things like the incubator.
You can also add coffee grounds, which quail love! I don't know why they love it, but they do. I think it's best to use spent grounds that have dried out some from your morning brew.
Essential to its well-being, and one that it appears to enjoy, is the quail's habit of dusting. A depression, or dusting bowl, is scratched and pecked free of vegetation and the soil finely ground three or four inches deep.
Being one of the most docile and straight-forward pets, raising quail can easily become an addictive hobby, especially with many beneficial assets and characteristics. They're friendly, inexpensive, gentle and even lay edible eggs that are considered a delicacy in many countries.
Breeding groups of quail should be made up of one species only, usually one male and two females in each aviary. Having too many males in a cage will cause fighting and unsuccessful mating. Many quail will lay throughout the year if conditions are suitable but the normal cycle is from spring to autumn.
Introduction: My name is Aron Pacocha, I am a happy, tasty, innocent, proud, talented, courageous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
