52 NEBRASKAland • DECEMBER 2018
Herb and Citrus Roasted Quail
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Little birds make the best finger food.
W
hole quail are nearly
impossible to eat with a fork
and knife, so for this recipe,
put those utensils away and
bite in. This is drinking
food at its best. Enjoy with a cold mug
of ale along with other finger-friendly
sides and snacks.
If you are not a hunter but would like
to try this recipe, check out the Asian
Market in Omaha for frozen whole
quail. They are similar to wild birds.
Servings: 2-3
Prep Time: 24 hours
Cooking Time: 15-25 minutes
Ingredients:
•
6 whole quail, skin on
•
2-3 fresh sprigs of rosemary,
leaves only
•
Small bunch of fresh thyme
•
5 cloves of garlic, crushed or
minced
•
Grated zest of 2 medium oranges
•
Juice of 2 oranges
•
¼ cup of olive oil, plus extra
•
Juice of half a lemon
•
¼ cup of chardonnay
•
¼ teaspoon of cumin
•
¼ cup of white onion, minced
•
Kosher salt, to taste
•
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
•
Paprika, to taste
1. To make the marinade, rub
rosemary leaves and thyme sprigs
(keep whole if tender) between your
fingers and palms and then place into
a large bowl. Next add garlic, orange
zest, orange juice, ¼ cup of olive oil,
lemon juice, chardonnay, cumin and
onion. Whisk and set aside.
2. Rinse quail under cold water and
pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt
on the outside and inside of each bird
and place them inside a large zip-top
bag. Give the marinade another good
whisk and pour it into the bag. Remove
as much air from the bag as possible
before sealing. Refrigerate for 24
hours. Flip the bag over occasionally.
3. Take quail out of the refrigerator
one hour prior to cooking. Preheat your
oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit – at
least 400 if your oven doesn't go that
high – and once preheated, allow the
oven an additional 30 minutes to get
nice and hot. If you like, you can grill
the quail instead over direct medium-
high heat.
4. Remove the quail from the
marinade and pat dry with paper
towels. Brush each bird generously
with olive oil, then rub with paprika
and a light dash of salt. Place them
onto a rimmed cookie sheet and roast
for 15-20 minutes or until the skin
becomes brown and the bird is just
cooked through. (You can tie the legs
together with cooking twine to keep
the birds from touching on the cookie
sheet.) Serve immediately. ■
This recipe and photograph
originally appeared on Jenny's blog at
foodforhunters.com.
PHOTO
BY
JENNY
NGUYEN-WHEATLEY
