Basil Scented Quail Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• With poultry shears or a sharp knife cut off necks, feet, and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Finely chop garlic. Finely chop juniper berries and sprinkle half inside quail. Season quail inside and out with pepper and salt.
• In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add quail, breast sides down, and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer quail to a plate and wipe skillet clean. In skillet melt butter and add quail, breast sides up. Transfer quail to middle of oven and roast, basting twice, until meat is pink for medium-rare, about 8 minutes. Transfer quail to a platter. Add garlic and remaining juniper berries to skillet and cook over low heat, stirring, 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Remove skillet from heat and stir in vinegar and any quail juices that have accumulated on platter. Spoon sauce over quail.

Steps:

• Cut the lemon into quarters, then on each quarter, cut in half crosswise.
• Take a little of the basil and push into the cavity of the quail, then add the lemon, then add more basil until full, repeat for all birds.
• Place any remaining basil into the baking dish and place birds on top.
• Rub the tops of the birds with olive oil.
• Sprinkle or grind salt over the birds.
• Roast at 180 degrees celcius for approx 20 minutes.
• Check for doneness.
• If nearly done, grill for approx 10 minutes, until golden.
• Crumble the feta over the top, as much or as little as you like.

Steps:

• Cut along each side of breastbone of each bird, then straight down through where thigh meets body to get 2 semi-boneless halves from each bird. (Don't worry if skin holding thigh and drumstick together separates.) Combine other ingredients except oil, herb and lime wedges and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight in a refrigerator, if you have time.
• Drain quail of marinade and strain and reserve marinade. Pat birds dry. If you have a skillet large enough to hold quail in one layer, put oil in it; if not, put 2 tablespoons of oil in each of two skillets. Turn heat to high and, when oil is hot, sauté quail, skin-side down, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side for 2 or 3 minutes, or until quail are cooked through. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
• Lower heat and remove any excess fat from skillet (there may not be any). Add strained marinade, along with 1/4 cup water, and raise heat to high. Cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Spoon over quail and serve immediately, garnished, if you like, with herbs and lime.

Steps:

• To make the marinade, whisk the canola oil, Parmesan cheese, vinegar, chile-Italian seasoning, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
• Rinse the quail and pat dry. Arrange the quail in a baking dish that is large enough to hold them in one layer, and add the marinade, turning the quail to coat them well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning the quail once or twice, for at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
• Remove the quail from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Prepare a grill to medium-high heat, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Remove the quail from the marinade (discard the marinade), and pat dry with paper towels. Season the quail with salt and pepper, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. The meat should still be slightly pink in the center. Serve with lime wedges.
• Combine the oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, salt, garlic salt, celery salt, onion powder, sugar, chile powder, and pepper in a glass jar. Screw the lid on tightly, and shake until the mixture is well blended. Store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Rub the quail with half the olive oil, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Put them breast side up in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate them. Combine remaining ingredients and brush about half of this mixture over the birds; put in oven.
• After about 10 minutes of roasting, baste with remaining mixture, then continue to roast until done, about 10 minutes more. Serve birds hot, with pan juices, or warm or at room temperature.