Quail, man.

So, if you know me, or if you've read about it before, you may know that I always make my way back to Chicago with a cooler full of half shot up, half feathered quail.

Yea, I happen to have a dad who shoots shit.  A lot.  And hey, don't frown at me, when's the last time you saw Quail at the meat counter of Dominick's?  Yea that's what I thought.  A girl has got to get her game bird somehow, and eating around buckshot isn't so bad once you've got the hand of biting gently.

So, I thought, let's "create a stir" shall we.  Let's see what the Kentuckians have to say about making this bird.  (Note that my dad ALWAYS, without fail, fries his quail like it's KFC.)  I consulted my newest cookbook, and they say it's Bacon wrapped Quail in a Shallot Sauce.

I say, "Well, ok then."

Quail in a Shallot Sauce
from Creating a Stir - In the Bluegrass and Beyond

4 dressed quail
vegetable oil
salt and pepper
4 turkey bacon slices
1/2 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon Worchestershire Sauce
Juice from half a lemon

Rub the quail with the oil, salt and pepper and chill for 1 hour.

Wrap each quail breast in 1 piece of bacon.

Combine the melted butter, worchestershire sauce, and lemon juice, and brush on the bird.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the quail in a roasting pan to bake for 25 minutes.  Serve quail with shallot sauce, to follow.

Shallot Sauce

3-4 shallots diced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste

Simmer the shallots in wine in a saucepan until they have reduced down to barely any liquid.  Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and gradually add the flour to create a rue.

Gradually stir in the broth, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add the shallots and season with salt and pepper.

And for the LOVE of Martha, watch your teeth kids!

Love,

Whit