Sausage Stuffed Quail
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 1/4 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt
- 1/2 pound bulk fennel sausage
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano
- 1 egg
- 1/2 bunch fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- 4 semi-boneless quail, wingtips removed
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup dry port wine
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups baby arugula, washed and dried
- Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil.
- Toss in the fennel, onions and crushed red pepper.
- Season with salt and bring the pan to a medium-high heat.
- Cook the onions and fennel until they are soft and wilted but don't have any color, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let them cool.
- In a bowl, combine the sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, egg, parsley and cooked onions and fennel.
- Mix well to combine.
- Divide the stuffing among the 4 quail.
- Press each quail to lightly flatten and evenly disperse the stuffing.
- Wrap each quail with a bacon slice and secure the bacon with a toothpick.
- Tie the quail's legs together with butcher's twine (otherwise they will look like road kill).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring the pan to a medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle the quail with salt and add it to the pan.
- Brown them really well on each side, 3 to 4 minutes.
- When the quail are brown on both sides, transfer the quail to a baking sheet and put them in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, remove the toothpicks and reserve the quail.
- Meanwhile, ditch the fat from the pan and add the port wine.
- Cook the wine over medium heat until it has reduced by half.
- Add 3/4 cup chicken stock, season with salt and reduce by half.
- Add the remaining chicken stock and reduce it by about three-quarters, or until it seems a little bit thickened.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Divide the arugula among 4 serving plates.
- Place a quail on each pile of arugula and spoon some of the sauce on the quail and the arugula.
- Serve immediately.
- Wine Pairing Suggestion: Alsatian Gewurztraminer
extravirgin olive oil, fennel bulb, onion, red pepper, kosher salt, sausage, breadcrumbs, egg, italian parsley, semiboneless quail, bacon, port wine, chicken stock, baby arugula
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/sausage-stuffed-quail-recipe.html (may not work)