Sauteed Quail with Pea Shoots and Herbed Morel Risotto ►
This towering salad begins with a base of pea shoots and herbed mushroom risotto, climbing to golden sauteed quail, topped with more pea shoots. Chef Alfred Portale’s Sage and Savory Butter flavors both the quail and the risotto; it would be wonderful with chicken or pork as well.
Ingredients
- Sage and Savory Butter
- Butter - 1/2 pound, at room temperature
- Salt - 1/2 teaspoon, fine
- Black peppercorns - 1 teaspoon, freshly cracked
- Thyme - 1 teaspoon, fresh, chopped
- Savory - 1 teaspoon, fresh, chopped
- Sage - 1 teaspoon, fresh, chopped
- Parsley - 1 teaspoon, fresh, chopped
- Garlic - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Quail
- Quails - 4, butterflied
- Sage and Savory Butter - 1/4 cup (recipe above)
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- Risotto
- Morel Mushrooms - 4 to 6 ounces, fresh (alt. 2 ounces dried)
- Unsalted Butter - 4 tablespoons
- Shallots - 1-1/2 cups, finely-sliced
- Arborio Rice - 1 pound
- Thyme - 1 teaspoon, minced
- Rich Turkey Stock - 3 quarts (alt. chicken stock)
- Peas - 1/4 cup, cooked al dente
- Sage and Savory Butter (recipe above) - 1/4 cup
- Italian (flat-leaf) Parsley - 1 tablespoons, chopped
- Pea Shoots
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
- Clove Garlic - 1, finely sliced
- Pea Shoots - 1 cup, fresh
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
- White Truffle Oil - 1 tablespoon
- Savory - 4 sprigs, fresh
Instructions
To make the herbed butter: Blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To prepare the quails: Season the quails with salt and pepper. Heat the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the quails, skin-side down, for 4 minutes. Turn over and cook 2 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm.
To make the risotto: If using dried mushrooms, soak in 1/2 cup of water for 30 minutes; drain completely and pat dry. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until wilted, shaking the pan from time to time to keep the mushrooms from sticking. Set aside. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and add the shallots. Cook for 4 minutes, until soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the rice and thyme and stir to coat. Stir in 1 cup of stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add stock one cup at a time, stirring constantly, until only 1 cup is left. Stir in the sauteed mushrooms and peas. Add the final cup of stock and stir until absorbed; total cooking time for the rice is 15 – 18 minutes. Take off the stove and stir in the Sage and Savory Butter and chopped parsley.
To prepare the pea shoots: Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until lightly browned, then remove and discard. Add the shoots to the oil and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve: Mound pea shoots in the center of four warmed deep soup plates. Spoon risotto around the shoots and place a quail on top of each mound. Drizzle with white truffle oil. Garnish with a savory sprig.
