After a wonderful trip to Fox & Obel in Chicago today we picked up some amazing things including these quail and some fresh winter black truffles and duck fat. I designed this recipe to be simple yet powerful in its flavors with utmost respect and to never overpower the flavors of the quail.
Pan Fried Quail with black truffles, thyme and Riesling
The deg-lacing of the pan with German Riesling sounds a bit odd considering the earthy powers of the quail, thyme and black truffles. The combo does pairs well and adds a slightly sweet dimension to the already earthy flavors of the truffle, thyme and duck fat.
Quail Seasoning
8 Quail
2 TBS duck fat
1 TBS minced Thyme
.02 -1/4 oz fresh black winter truffles
1 tsp fleur de sel
1/2 tsp black petter
Finley chop black truffles and thyme.
Microwave duck fat in small bowl for 1 minute or until just melted
mix all ingredients into duck fat
Clean and pat dry Quail
Eye your total liquid that you just made and realize you need to save 1/4 of it.
With the remaining 3/4 liquid rub equally under the skin of the quail breasts.
Cooking the Quail
Heat 2-3 TBS Duck fat over MedHI heat
cook 4-5 minutes each side until brown and crispy
remove and tent with foil
Riesling Quail Reduction Sauce
1/4 cup German Gewurztraminer or Riesling
Remaining duck, thyme and truffles from first step
1/8tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
drain remaining oil from saute pan used to cook quail
put pan back on MedHI heat until lightly smoking
pour wine in pan and scrape to loosen fond and reduce to slightly thickened
turn off heat and stir remaining mixture of duck fat thyme and truffles
stir in salt and pepper
Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon, NEVER A WHISK!!!!!!
You should not whisk your wine sauces as whisking creates smaller wine molecules yet leaves fat molecules large and with the dominate flavor profile in your finished sauce. A wine and butter sauce that has been whisked will no doubt leave a predominate butter flavor wish very little signs of the wine. If you stir your sauces with a spoon vs a whisk it allows the wine molecules to stay in proportionate size to fat molecules thus creating balanced wine and butter flavors.
Drizzle sauce over each quail and serve with a good roasted root vegetable
