Quail Stewed With Melting Onions Saffron And Chickpeas Food

QUAIL STEWED WITH MELTING ONIONS, SAFFRON AND CHICKPEAS

Steps:

• To make the saffron liquid, lightly toast the saffron threads in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 30 seconds. While the threads must be totally dry, be very careful not to burn them. As they crisp up, they will begin to release a wonderfully pungent aroma. Tip the saffron into a mortar and leave for a moment or two before grinding to a powder. Mix the ground saffron with the boiling water and set aside to infuse for at least 1 hour before using. The colour will continue to develop for about 12 hours.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or casserole dish over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft and translucent (8-10 minutes). Stir in the cardamom seeds and dried oregano and cook for another couple of minutes. Lift the mixture out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Season the quail with salt and pepper. Add a little more oil to the pan, if need be, and brown the quail thoroughly (10-12 minutes). Drain the soaked chickpeas (rinse and drain the canned ones, if using). Return the onion mixture to the pan and add the chickpeas, carrot and fresh herbs. Pour in the stock and 2-3 tbsp saffron liquid or to taste (you may have some left over). Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer very gently until the quail and onions are very tender and the chickpeas are cooked (1-1½ hours). From time to time, skim away any impurities that rise to the surface.
• Towards the end of the cooking time, add the currants to the pan. Simmer for a further 4-5 minutes, then season with salt to your liking and stir in the lemon juice. Serve straight away.

ROASTED QUAIL WITH RED GRAPES AND PEARL ONIONS

Steps:

• Clarify butter:
• In a heavy saucepan melt butter over low heat. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 3 minutes. Skim froth and strain butter through a sieve lined with a double thickness of rinsed and squeezed cheesecloth into a bowl, leaving milky solids in bottom of pan. Pour clarified butter into a jar or crock and chill, covered. Butter keeps, covered and chilled, indefinitely. When clarified, butter loses about one fourth its original volume.
• Roast quail:
• Preheat oven to 475°F.
• In a small saucepan boil vinegar, honey, and thyme sprigs over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour glaze through a fine sieve into a small bowl, discarding thyme, and reserve. In another small bowl stir together 2 tablespoons reserved glaze and 2 tablespoons clarified butter.
• In a saucepan of boiling salted water blanch onions 3 minutes. Drain onions and peel.
• Heat a flameproof roasting pan, 15 by 10 by 2 inches, in oven 10 minutes. In heated pan toss onions with remaining tablespoon clarified butter, chopped thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and roast in upper third of oven, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• While onions are roasting, prepare quail. Rinse quail and pat dry. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Brush quail inside and out with about one third glaze-butter mixture and tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Add grapes to pan and toss with onions. Arrange quail, breast sides down, over onions and grapes and roast 15 minutes. Turn quail over and baste with about half of remaining glaze-butter mixture. Roast quail, basting with remaining glaze-butter mixture, 10 minutes more, or until juices run clear when fleshy part of a thigh is pierced.
• Discard string from quail and transfer to a platter. Arrange grapes and onions around quail using a slotted spoon and keep warm.
• To pan add reserved glaze and on stovetop boil over high heat 5 minutes, or until thickened and reduced to about 1/2 cup. Season sauce with salt and pepper and drizzle over quail.
• Garnish quail with thyme and serve with baked wild rice amandine.