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Quail: Mama's Fried Quail with Cream Gravy

Source of Recipe

From "Basic to Brilliant, Y'all" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"One of my dearest friends despises what she calls 'little bony birds,' but I absolutely love them. I grew up eating the quail, doves, and ducks my father, uncle, and grandfather shot in the fall. One of the best places to hunt these birds is in corn, millet, or wheat fields that have recently been harvested. Unethical hunters will reseed an area with store-bought feed, but that's not fair and would be more like shooting a fish in a barrel."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 10 whole quail
â—¦ Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 2 tablespoons canola oil
â—¦ 8 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish
â—¦ 1 cup homemade chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
â—¦ 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Pat the quail dry; tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Season with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, dredge the quail in the flour, then shake to remove any excess flour.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon each of the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Without crowding and working in batches with the remaining butter and oil, add the quail and sear on both sides until deep brown, about 3 minutes per side. Sprinkle the thyme over the birds and transfer the skillet with all the quail to the oven.

Roast until cooked through but still pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the quail to a warmed platter; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Place the skillet on the stovetop over high heat. Add the stock and cream. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the skillet. Bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the mustard. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour the gravy over the quail. Garnish with thyme; serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6