Following the opening of our restored farmhouse, Domaine La Veronique for Gourmet Holidays in June 2011, I felt the need to invent a signature dish. I adapted the classic 'Sole Véronique' recipe using Quail, and I'm very pleased with the outcome. So I thought I'd share the recipe with you. Let me know if you have any questions.
Suck it and see!!
Chef Pierre
Quail Véronique
Serves 6
6 quail
18 green grapes, halved and de-seeded
6 small tsps of unsalted butter
2 tblsp olive oil with a tblsp of butter
8 sprigs of lemon thyme
10cl Dry white wine
10cl Reduced chicken stock
10cl Crème Fraîche
1) Remove the Quail’s wing tips and heads, rinse and pat dry.
2) Preheat the oven to 170ºC
3) Place a tsp of butter and a sprig of lemon thyme inside each bird, and season with salt and pepper.
4) Put olive oil and butter in a shallow roasting tin. Heat on a burner. Add the quail and brown.
5) Then place the roasting tin in the oven and roast the quail for about 40 minutes, basting every ten minutes, until juices run clear.
6) When the quail are cooked, remove from oven and place breast side down on a chopping board that will retain the juices. Cover with tin foil, and leave to rest whilst making the sauce.
7) Remove the leaves from the remaining two sprigs of thyme, and set aside.
8) In a saucepan, reduce the white wine by half, add the stock, and again reduce by half. Pour the juices off the cutting board and the roasting pan in to the saucepan, and degrease if necessary.
9) Stir in the Crème Fraîche and add the grapes and thyme leaves. N.B. If the sauce appears too thin, whisk in a little ‘beurre manie’.
10) Remove the legs and breasts from the Quail, arrange them on individual, pre-heated plates on top of potato purée (or other potato dish), with an assortment of baby vegetables. Dress with the sauce and enjoy!!
