Poultry - Sausage Stuffed Quail

By BlueSchmoo

Substitute Cornish Game hens and increase the cooking time

Ingredients

• Sausage Stuffing
• 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
• Quail
• 4 semi-boneless quail, wingtips removed or 2 Cornish Game Hens
• 4 (2 if using Game Hens) slices bacon
• 1/2 cup dry port wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3 cups baby arugula, washed and dried

Details

Servings 4
Preparation time 20mins
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Preparation

Step 1

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 Birds. Press each quail to lightly flatten and evenly disperse the stuffing. Wrap each bird with a bacon slice and secure the bacon with a toothpick. Tie the bird'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(40-50 for game hens or until thigh meat registers 170) 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