Roasted Quail
Pot-roasted quail stuffed with cabbage and foie gras is wrapped in bacon and combined with pork sausage and a sauce of wild mushrooms. The chef prefers Toulouse sausage made of coarsely diced pork flavored with wine, garlic and seasonings; any similar garlic-flavored pork sausage can be substituted.
Ingredients
- Boneless Quail - 4
- Wilted Cabbage - 1 cup
- Fresh foie gras - 8 ounces, cut into 4 cubes
- Pancetta - 4 slices
- Toulouse sausage - 4
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Virgin olive oil - 1/4 cup
- Sauce
- Porcini Mushrooms - 1 cup, sliced
- Unsalted Butter - 1 tablespoon
- Port Wine - 1/4 cup
- Cognac - 1 splash
- Veal Stock - 1/2
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
To prepare the quail: Place quail onto work surface and lay flat, slightly stretching each one out. Divide cabbage into four equal portions and place each fourth in the center of each quail. Place a cube of foie gras in the center of each cabbage mound. Tightly roll up each quail around contents, tucking ends under to restore quail to their original shape. Using a wide knife, fan out each slice of pancetta; wrap quail in pancetta. (Pancetta holds quail and contents in place and also gives flavor to the dish.) Place quail in a large skillet along with the Toulouse sausage. Season all with salt and pepper; pour olive oil over the top of quail and sausage. Place skillet into a 350 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove skillet from the oven; remove quail and sausage and reserve in a warm place. Drain fat from the skillet. Over medium high heat, melt butter and add mushrooms. Saute mushrooms in butter until softened, approx. 3 to 4 minutes. Add port wine, cognac, and veal stock. Season with pepper and continue to cook until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
To serve: Place mushrooms with sauce in the center of each serving plate. Slice each quail and sausage into halves. Place sausage halves on either side of each serving plate; place quail halves on top of mushrooms with sauce and serve.
.Complete with baby greens and pieces of fresh dill.
