Deep Fried Quail Recipes

Steps:

• Spread the quail open and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the 1/4 c flour, 1 t salt and 1/2 t pepper.
• Dredge the quail in the seasoned flour.
• Pour oil to 1/4" depth in the skillet and heat.
• Add the floured quail to the oil when it's hot and brown on both sides.
• Remove the quail from the skillet.
• Combine the 3 T flour, 1 c water (or milk and water), and 1/2 t salt.
• Add to the drippings in the skillet and stir to combine.
• Add the quail back in the skillet.
• Add enough water to come halfway up the quail.
• Cover and reduce the heat to low.
• Simmer for 30 minutes or until the quail is done and the gravy has thickened.

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add the quail; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain and discard marinade., In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne and remaining salt and pepper. Coat quail with flour mixture., In a large skillet, cook quail in oil in batches over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°. Drain on paper towels. Remove to a serving platter and keep warm., For gravy, stir flour into pan drippings until blended; cook and stir for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Gradually add the cream, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened., Meanwhile, prepare grits according to package directions. Add the cream cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and grits are heated through. Serve with quail and gravy; sprinkle with bacon and green onions if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to its lowest setting and place a cooking rack over a sheet pan in the oven. Rinse the quail, pat dry, then dust in the flour. Do not season the flour; the sausage is very salty and spicy.
• Fry the quail in a small amount of oil or lard in a skillet over high heat until they are golden brown, turning once, about 10 minutes. Remove to the rack in the oven to keep them warm while you prepare the cream sauce.
• Drain the oysters and set aside, reserving the liquor. Put the sausage in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until all of the grease is rendered out and the sausage is evenly browned. Remove the sausage from the pan and allow it to drain. Pour off the grease and discard.
• Add the cream and the oyster liquor to the pan and reduce over high heat until the sauce is just shy of the desired consistency, stirring often and scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat and crumble the cooked sausage into the cream. Add the oysters, heating the sauce through until the oysters just begin to curl, just a minute or two. Remove the birds from the oven to plates. Pour the sauce over the birds, dividing the oysters and bits of sausage equally among the plates.

Steps:

• Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 2 minutes. Rinse eggs in cold water and cool to room temperature; peel.
• Combine rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool.
• Prepare batter by adding red and yellow food coloring to the water to get a deep orange color. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl; pour in orange water and stir until there are no lumps.
• Heat oil in a wok to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Gently roll eggs in cornstarch to coat and shake off excess cornstarch. Dip into orange batter so they are fully covered. Poke eggs with the bamboo skewer and drop gently into the hot oil. Deep fry until the batter is crispy, about 2 minutes per side. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Rinse the quail and pat dry with paper towels. Check for pin feathers and pluck any you find.
• To make the marinade, select a large, shallow bowl or deep plate that fits in your steamer tray. Add the salt, ginger juice, and wine and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the quail and use your fingers to coat each bird well with the marinade. Then, spoon the marinade into their cavities and rub it in with your fingers. Fold back each wing so that the wing tip is behind the neck, as if the quail is relaxing. Arrange the quail so that there is minimal overlap, to ensure even cooking. Put the bowl in the steamer tray and set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Fill the steamer pan halfway with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the steamer tray, cover, and steam the quail for 9 to 11 minutes, or until there is no visible sign of pink rawness at the breast end. (Because the final frying is brief, the quail should be cooked through at this point. However, be careful not to steam away their juiciness.) While the quail steam, place a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• When the quail are ready, transfer them to the rack, angling them as if they are reclining or standing, so the liquid in the cavities drains out. When cool enough to handle, blot dry with paper towels, removing any bits of residue from the skin.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the honey and soy sauce. Using your fingers, coat each quail evenly with the mixture. Place the quail on a plate. Wash and dry the rack and return it to the baking sheet.
• Put 1/4 cup of the cornstarch in a zip-top plastic bag. Standing near the sink, put a quail into the bag and shake a few times to dust lightly. Remove the quail and pat it between your hands over the sink to remove excess cornstarch. Put the quail, breast side up, on the rack. Repeat with the remaining quail, adding the remaining 1/4 cup cornstarch to the bag as needed. Set the quail aside for about 3 hours. As the quail sit, they will dry and absorb the cornstarch. They are ready to fry when most of the powdery white coating has turned light brown. Just before frying, give each quail a quick pat to remove any excess cornstarch.
• Pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a wok or 5-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F on a deep-frying thermometer. (If you don't have a thermometer, stand a dry bamboo chopstick in the oil; if small bubbles immediately gather on the surface around the chopstick, the oil is ready.)
• Because the quail brown quickly, you need to use a two-hands, two-utensils frying technique. With a skimmer in one hand and a large spoon in the other, lower a quail into the hot oil. Then immediately spoon the hot oil over the quail so that it fries to a nice, even brown. This only takes 30 to 45 seconds. To make sure the quail is browning evenly, occasionally use both utensils to lift and dip or rotate it in the oil. Because the color deepens slightly once the quail is out of the pan, pull it from the oil when it is just shy of a rich brown. Balance it between the skimmer and spoon as you lift it out, letting any excess oil drip back into the pan, and then return the quail to the rack. Repeat with the remaining quail. Once all the quail are fried, use a paper towel to blot away any clinging oil.
• To serve, cut each quail in half along the breastbone and place on a large platter. Take to the table and start nibbling.
• Notes
• These quail may be reheated in a preheated 350°F oven or toaster oven. Halve them first and put them cut side down to reheat. They are ready when you can hear them gently sizzling, usually about 10 minutes.
• You may also serve these quail with Salt, Pepper, and Lime Dipping Sauce (page 311); omit the chiles if desired.

Steps:

• To make the spicy salt and pepper, combine the ingredients and dry fry over a low heat for 2-3 minutes or until aromatic.
• Split each quail in half down the middle and clean well.
• Marinate with the teaspoon of spicy salt and pepper, sugar, soy and rice wine for 2-3 hours, turning frequently.
• Coat each quail piece in flour, dustin off the excess.
• Fill a wok to 1/4 full with oil and heat the oil to 190c.
• Fry the quail for 2-3 minutes each side then remove from the wok and drain on kitchen paper.
• Serve with the lemon wedges on the side.