Roasted Quail with Grapes and Brown Butter
Ingredients
- 4 pcWhole quail (cleaned)
- 60 gUnsalted butter (in pieces)
- 200 gChasselas grape (plucked from stems)
- 100 mlDry white wine
- 4 pcGarlic (unpeeled)
- 1 tbspThyme (fresh)
- 2 pinchGray sea salt
- 1 pinchBlack pepper ground
- 1 pcCooking twine (for trussing)
Method
Amber, crispy skin that cracks under the teeth, revealing pink and juicy meat. Cooking juices deglazed with white wine coat the grapes that burst in your mouth.
- 1
Dry the quails with a cloth. Generously salt and pepper the inside and outside. Slip a sprig of thyme and a crushed garlic clove into each cavity. Then truss the quails with kitchen string to keep the limbs tight against the body.
- 2
Heat the butter in a Dutch oven. When it is foamy and smells nutty, sear the quails on each side. The skin should be well browned before putting them in the oven.
- 3
Place the pot in the oven at 200°C. Baste the birds every 5 minutes with the cooking butter. The quails are cooked when the leg meat is flexible but firm.
- 4
Remove the quails, carefully remove the kitchen string and let them rest on a rack. Discard the fat from the pot, deglaze the juices with white wine. Add the grapes and let reduce until the sauce coats the spoon.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get this dish right?
- Resting is key: let the quails sit for 5 minutes under foil after cooking, the juices will redistribute and the meat will be much more tender.
- Never pierce the skin with a fork, use tongs to prevent the juices from escaping.
How long does this dish keep?
Eat immediately to keep the skin crispy. Keeps for 24h in the fridge but the skin will lose its texture.
