ROAST QUAIL w/SOUR APRICOT GLAZE

By BobD

Ingredients

• For the marinade:
• This elegant, picture-perfect dish comes to us from John Johnson of Manhattan’s famed Town Restaurant. The boneless quail, as prepared, tastes incredible and the display is sure to impress. The aprico
• 1 or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 garlic cloves
• zest of 1 orange
• freshly ground salt and pepper
• For the quails and garnish:
• 4 D’Artagnan Semi-Boneless Organic Quail
• 4 Thick-Cut Slices of D’Artagnan Foie Gras
• Clarified butter
• Fresh whole butter for sauting
• 1/2 cup salted almonds, preferrably Marcona
• 1 cup trimmed, washed watercress or arugula
• For the glaze:
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 6 dried apricots
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 pinch of sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Method:

Day before the meal:
Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Season the quail evenly and generously. Refrigerate overnight.

For the glaze (can be made up to two days in advance):
In a sauce pot, over medium heat, combine orange juice, white wine, sugar, and rosemary to a simmer. Carefully add the dried apricots. Return to gentle simmer and cook slowsly until apricots are soft but not falling apart. Remove from heat and carefully transfer to bowl to cool.

The day of serving: Remove apricots from refrigerator and strain liquid into small-medium sauce pot. Place the pot on medium-high heat, bring to boil, reduce heat and then simmer to reduce to a glaze. Next place the apricots in the reduction. Reserve warm for serving.


Prepare the foie gras:
If using whole lobes, gently separate lobe along natural contours. Slice lobe "against the grain" (cross-wise) at a 45 degree angle. Set on plate. Apply ample fresh ground salt and pepper. Set aside for sauting.


For quail and garnish:
In a small saute pan over medium heat, gently toast the almonds to a light brown color. Transfer to a cookie sheet to cool to room temperature. When cooled, place in a coffee or spice grinder and coarsely grind.

In a large saute or roasting plan, over high heat, brown butter. Once brown, saute the marinated quail, basting constantly, until golden brown on the outside and a medium temperature on the inside. Set aside in a warm oven to rest for a few minutes. Dust with ground almonds. Set aside for serving.









For the foie gras:
In a separate saute pan, over high heat, saute the seasoned, sliced foie gras for about 1-2 minutes.

To Serve:
Swirl glaze on plate. Place small mound of bitter greens to one side. Gently position foie gras slice on top of greens, adding a bit more of the glaze on top.





Arrange roasted quail individual plates (to the side of the foie gras) or on a warm serving dish. Pour the glazed apricots and syrup reduction generously over the quail. Top each with some water cress (or other bitter green) leaves, then sprinkle generously with rest of ground (Marcona) almonds. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and a light sparkle of sea salt. Viola!