Serves 4 persons
Ingredients
- 8 quails
- 15g butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pomegranate
- 75ml sherry or white wine
Marinade
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp crushed or course ground black pepper
Method
Marinating
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and mix with the birds. Cover it with cling film or whatever suits you and place it in the fridge for at least 3-4 hours or even better for overnight.
Cooking
The following should be done about 30 minutes before you’re ready for your meal.
Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Heat a heavy-based frying pan on the hob and when the olive oil and butter is hot place the quails in (just as many fits comfortably to work with at a time) and brown them on the skin side. When it’s done, transfer them into a roasting tin large enough for them to sit in a single layer. Remove the frying pan from the heat but keep it to hand as you’ll need it shortly again.
Add all the marinade to the roasting tin. Transfer the quails to the oven for about 20 minutes or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
While the quails are roasting, cut the pomegranate in half and remove the red seeds. Don’t throw the seeds away as this is your ingredient that you’ll use in a minute!
Remove the quails from the oven and drain the cooking juice into the frying pan. Put over a high heat, then as soon as it bubbles add the sherry or wine. Next throw in the pomegranate seeds. When the sauce looks glossy, it’s done. Pour over the quails and serve.
Serve it with a simple leaf salad like chicory or watercress, some bread and a blob of thick, Greek-style yoghurt.
If you want to make it more filling serve with mash potatoes …Made fresh, not from powder though…
A Middle Eastern delicacy dish which mixes quail with pomegranate sauce. Very exotic.
