Quail With Zinfandel-Orange Sauce
This recipe for grilled quail with a flavorful red wine orange sauce is a delightful way to prepare this delicate bird. The quail are marinated in a vibrant mixture of wine, orange juice, shallots, and rosemary before being grilled to perfection. Paired with a rich and savory sauce made from the remaining marinade, homemade chicken broth, and a touch of butter, this dish is sure to impress your guests with its elegant presentation and delicious taste. Serve the grilled quail with the luscious sauce spooned over the top for a truly special dining experience.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 1 cup hearty dry red wine, such as Zinfandel
- 1 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup chopped shallot
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 quail, butterflied by the butcher
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 3 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade
- 1/2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbs. water
- 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the wine, orange juice, shallot, rosemary and orange zest. Pour 1 cup of the wine mixture into a baking dish and whisk in the olive oil to make a marinade. Cover and refrigerate the remaining wine mixture.
- Put the quail in the marinade and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at least 1 hour or for up to 4 hours.
- Meanwhile, build a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill with a cover and let burn until the coals are covered with white ash. Leave the coals heaped in the center of the grill; do not spread them out. For a gas grill, preheat on high, then reduce the heat to medium.
- Lightly oil the grill rack. Remove the quail from the marinade and season with salt and pepper. For a charcoal grill, place the quail, skin side down, directly over the coals. Grill until the skin is seared, about 3 minutes. Transfer the quail, skin side down, to the perimeter of the grill rack, not directly over the coals. Cover the grill and cook until the quail are barely still pink when cut into at the hip joint, about 20 minutes. For a gas grill, place the quail, skin side down, on the grill. Cover and cook over medium heat, turning once.
- About 30 minutes before serving, in a saucepan over high heat, combine the reserved wine mixture and the broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and boil until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 1 Tbs. at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Halve each quail lengthwise. Arrange the halves on warmed individual plates and spoon the sauce around the quail. Serve hot.
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