Pâté Stuffed Quail
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minute
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Makes: 12 quails
- 12 quails (roughly 1 per person as part of a bigger dinner menu)
- Salt and pepper to season
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 50g/1.7ozs. butter
- 2 onions, peeled and diced finely
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced finely
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped finely
- 1 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained
- 4 tablespoons brandy
- 300g/10.6ozs. pâté
- 150g/5ozs. cooked chestnuts, chopped
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 cups Turkish bread, torn into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to season
Buyer's tip: If you're having trouble sourcing cooked chestnuts try an Asian grocery stores where they sell these in vacuum packs all year round.
Step 1 - Wash and dry the quails with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and place on a tray breast side up and uncovered in the fridge and allow to air dry overnight.
Step 2 - Have a large baking tray or two trays ready. Heat a frypan on high and brown the quails breast side down. Place the browned quails on the trays.
Step 3 - Heat oil and butter in the frypan and sauté the onions until soft. Add the garlic and fry for a minute. Add mushrooms, raisins and brandy and cook until soft. Add pâté, chestnuts and thyme and mix with the bread to form a stuffing. Season with sugar, salt and pepper.
Step 4 - Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Stuff the quails with the stuffing (do not overstuff as the stuffing will expand) and truss the quail. Roast for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden. I served them on butter lettuce leaves with pomegranate seeds.