Roasted Quail Stuffed with Swiss Chard & Pine Nuts With a Red Wine-Thyme Reduction

Poultry
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Ingredients

Yields: 4 servings

Stuffing:

  • 1 tablespoon currants
  • 1-2 slices bacon, chopped into ¼-inch strips
  • 3 tablespoons onion, minced
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
  • 1 ½ lb leafy, young Swiss chard, stalks removed, cut into ½-inch-wide strips
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • 4 large quail, boneless
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 15 small baby carrots sliced
  • 1 lb pearl onions

Red Wine-Thyme Reduction:

  • ½ cup Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon or other red wine
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 ½ cup brown chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Place the currants in a small bowl, cover with warm water and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Place the bacon in a large sauté pan or skillet and sauté until crisp. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, add the onion, and sauté over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, increase the heat to high, and add the Swiss chard. Season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5 or 6 minutes, or until the leaves are wilted but still green, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let the stuffing cool. Stir in the bacon, pine nuts, and currants. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Roast Quail:

Fill each of the quail with the stuffing, brush with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the quail on their sides in a small roasting pan (this promotes even cooking and colouring), and arrange the diced carrot and onion all around them. Roast the quail in the oven for 4 minutes, then turn them breast-side up, and roast for 4 to 5 minutes longer. Cover with aluminum foil, and keep warm.

To prepare the reduction, drain off the excess fat from the roasting pan and place the pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with the red wine, add the thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce the mixture to 2 tablespoons, add the broth, and simmer for 4 to 6 minutes. Adjust the seasonings if necessary and strain through a fine sieve into a gravy boat.