Recipes Main Ingredient Game Birds
6 Vermont farm-raised jumbo quail, whole
4-5 Tbsp vegetable oil
Marinade and Glaze
¼ cup honey
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground fennel seed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Accompaniments
2 lbs fresh spinach, cleaned and rinsed
2 medium red peppers
¼ cup pine nuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Whisk together ingredients for marinade and glaze. Pour over quail and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and marinate quail at room temperature for 3 hours, turning occasionally.
Sear or pan roast red peppers in lightly oiled pan. Peel, seed, and cut into strips. Set aside.
Remove quail and reserve marinade. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Brown quail in vegetable oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, for 3-4 minutes per side. Arrange quail in skillet, or oven-proof dish, so quail are not touching one another. Brush quail liberally with reserved marinade. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, or until just barely pink at breast, brushing occasionally with marinade to glaze.
When cooked, remove quail and set aside to rest. In same pan, toast pine nuts in hot oil. Add red peppers and sauté. Add a few tablespoons of reserved marinade and fresh spinach, cook just until spinach is wilted.
Place spinach mixture on plate, top with 1-2 roasted quail per serving. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Recipe courtesy of Cavendish Game Birds of Vermont