Briarhill Farms Quail

I experimented with a new protein this week, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I purchased four quail from Joe and Jack Dobie of Briarhill Farms. I had never prepared quail before and my Internet search proved less than inspiring, this is what i put together from the ingredients I had in my pantry.
Most of the recipes i found soaked the quail in cream, some baked them whole in the cream and some in the skillet. The quail I purchased were already cut up the back so I put mine in the skillet.

Ingredients *
4 quail (cut up the back)
3 TBSP panko
1 scallion
5 pieces of bacon
3 TBSP olive oil
2 stalks of celery
3 cloves garlic
1 box of shitake mushrooms
1/4 cup port wine
2 TBSP cinnamon apple jelly
3 cups cream
small handful chopped parsley
*I did not measure, measurements listed are a best guess, follow the instructions more than the measurements.

Cut whole quail up the back, salt and pepper them and then soak in cream, parsley and a couple of tablespoons of cinnamon apple jelly. I used parsley and cinnamon apple jelly, because that is what I had on hand. I found a recipe that soaked the quail in cream and guava jelly so i thought the apple jelly would work for sweetness and i found another recipe that used nutmeg so I thought that the cinnamon might work as well, but substitute with what you have in your pantry. I soaked the quail for 4 hours although I would have liked for at least six and maybe as long as eight.

Remove quail from the cream (reserve cream mixture), blot with paper towels and dust lightly with panko the breast side of the quail.(I was going to use flour, but somehow I was out, so use flour if you prefer)

Cut bacon into lardons and cook in a large deep skillet. Remove cooked bacon with a slotted spoon. Cook scallions, garlic and celery in rendered bacon fat, remove vegetables with a slotted spoon add a tablespoon or two of olive oil, to remaining bacon grease. Place quail in skillet breast side down, brown quail, turn over and add cream from soaking quail, shitake mushrooms cut in large strips, port wine, cooked bacon and vegetables, this mixture should almost cover the quail, if it is short add more cream. cover and cook quail at least 25 minutes on low.
Serve quail over your favorite brown or black rice and spoon sauce over.



Cook's Disclosure: The recipes that I include on this blog are created by a housewife with a passion for food. I am not a professional chef. I welcome suggestions on ways to improve these recipes or better ways to prepare the food all together. I feel that I become a better cook with each meal I prepare and I hope that through this blog I can learn from others experiences in the kitchen as well, so... please, let me know what you think!