Having a Quail of a Time with Manchester Farms.
I used to be able to get quail at our local farmers market but the poultry farmer went on to new adventures. So, you can imagine how happy I was when a representative from Manchester Farms reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their quail for a blog post. Knowing that they are the largest and oldest quail farm in the United States (since 1974), I said, “Yes, of course!”
Note: All my opinions and recipes are my own and, other than the receiving their products, I was not paid for this post.
The package I received from Manchester Farms included natural, semi-boneless quail, and lots of beautiful quail eggs — a favorite of mine. The quail come frozen and in perfect condition even during Tucson’s brutal summer; they are four to a package, and are ready for you to work your culinary magic. For those who haven’t worked with quail, “semi-boneless” means the leg/thigh combination and wings are still intact with their bones, but all the breastbones and backbones have been removed.
Manchester Farms offers: bone-in whole quail, semi-boneless quail, quail halves, quail breasts (I am planning to order these), quail legs, and quail wings — all of these are available either natural or marinated. Also, they have quail “knots,” which are boneless half quail, and they, too, come natural or brined. And, perfect for your hors d’œuvres spread, are the bacon-wrapped quail breasts. Their quail eggs come in cartons of 15 (not a baker’s dozen but a covey’s dozen!), and they sent me a pair of quail scissors (a wonderful too that I did not have).
Quail scissors, you ask? If you have ever tried to crack a raw quail egg, you already know why you need quail scissors. The internal membrane of a quail egg is very stubborn, and the curiously-shaped quail scissors cut off the top perfectly. I wouldn’t use them for hard-boiled eggs; the scissors are more for raw eggs, which helped me make perfect sunny side up eggs to top my risotto cakes. Quail eggs are wonderfully creamy and richI created several new recipes using the quail and eggs, three of which I share below:
I created several new recipes using the quail and eggs, three of which I share below:
- Stuffed Quail with Pea Purée, Thai Basil Oil — I used Thai flavors to create a beautiful entrée for special occasions: a stuffing of ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, and lime zest, in a soy, sesame, and lime-infused peanut butter purée finished with a Thai basil oil.
- Grilled Quail with Blueberry Compote — a grilled dish that can be on the table in 20 minutes: simply grilled quail with salt and pepper served with a blueberry compote that has a zing — made with honey, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and chile pepper.
- Risotto Cakes with Quail Eggs — a great recipe when you have leftover risotto. These are crispy risotto cakes topped with a sunny side up quail egg.
Coming soon, I’ll be sharing recipes for Doro Wot, a traditional Ethiopian chicken dish with eggs, and a version of my Mom’s Potato Salad, both with quail eggs.
The quality of both the quail and the eggs was outstanding. I chatted with Tucson chef Devon Sanner (Zio Peppe, the Lodge at Ventana Canyon), and he told me he, too, orders quail from Manchester Farms. That’s quite an endorsement coming from one of the finest chefs I know.
I’ll definitely be ordering more quail, and if you are a fan of quail, definitely check out all that Manchester Farms offers.
~ David
Stuffed Quail with Pea Purée, Thai Basil Oil
David Scott Allen, Cocoa & Lavender
Thai Basil Oil
- 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
- pinch of salt
Pea Purée
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 large shallot minced
- 3 cups fresh or frozen peas if using frozen, thaw beforehand
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice zest it in advance for the stuffing
Stuffing
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 4 ounces shiitakes stemmed and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons coarsely grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- finely grated zest of a lime
- 1/4 teaspoon Thai chile powder
- salt
Quail
- 4 semi-boneless quail
- neutral oil
Make the Thai Basil Oil
Purée the basil, oil, and salt, then filter through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or measuring cup with a spout, pressing on the solids to get as much flavor as possible into the oil. Discard solids and set oil aside.
Make the Pea Purée
Melt butter together with the sesame oil and add minced shallot; cook until the shallot is clear. Add the peas and broth, and cook until the peas are soft — about 5-7 minutes. Do not let them turn olive green. Purée and push the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the same pot. Add the soy sauce and lime juice and mix well. Keep warm while you make the quail.
Make the Stuffing and Finish the Quail
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the stuffing ingredients seasoning well with salt, and stuff into the four quail, tying the legs with kitchen string, then cut the string ends short. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and, when hot, add the neutral oil. Brown the quail well, starting breast side down, then flip and brown the other side. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast for 10 minutes (internal temperature of 155°F). Remove quail from the skillet and set on paper towels to drain while you prepare the plates. Cut and remove the strings.
Divide warmed pea purée among four plates (about 1/2 cup per plate) and rotate plates to distribute the sauce. Carefully place a quail on each plate, then drizzle the Thai basil oil over the pea purée; top the quail with a sprig of Thai basil. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Grilled Quail with Blueberry Compote
David Scott Allen, Cocoa & Lavender
Blueberry Compote
- 2 pints blueberries rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon medium hot chile powder more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Grilled Quail
- 8 semi-boneless quail
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Make the Blueberry Compote
Place berries in a medium saucepan and add honey, vinegar, chile powder, and dried thyme. Stir and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a gentle boil; cook for 10 minutes, or until thick and most of the berries have popped. Set aside; it will thicken as it cools.
Grill Quail and Finish
Pat the quail dry, and stuff each cavity with two sprigs thyme. (I wrap a pair of sprigs around my finger, then put the ring of thyme in the cavity.) Brush both sides of the quail with olive oil then season well with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
Heat grill to high. When it is ready, reduce heat to medium and oil the grates. Place the quail, breast side down on direct heat for 3 minutes, then flip and cook 3 minutes longer, or until done.
Arrange them on a platter. Stir the compote, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve on the side with the quail.
Serves 4 as a main course, and 8 as a first course.
Risotto Cakes with Quail Eggs
David Scott Allen, Cocoa & Lavender
- 2 cups leftover cooked risotto
- 1 large chicken egg
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano if risotto didn’t have cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- panko or traditional dry breadcrumbs as needed
- olive oil as needed
- butter as needed
- 4 quail eggs
- lettuce greens for serving
- extra virgin olive oil and vinegar optional
In a medium bowl combine the leftover risotto, chicken egg, and Parmigiano-Reggiano (if needed). Season with salt and pepper.
Place a thin, even layer of panko or traditional bread crumbs — about 9-inches square — on a piece of parchment paper. Place a 4-inch ring mold in one of the four corners of the crumbs and spoon a fourth of the risotto mix into the mold. Tamp it down so that it will hold together, and even out the top. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and press to make them adhere. Gently remove the ring mold, and move it to another corner, and repeat with another fourth of the risotto. Make two more risotto cakes in the same fashion.
Heat a skim of olive oil in a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Using a broad spatula, gently place all four risotto cakes in the skillet and cook until golden brown on the bottom (you can see browning on the edges) — about 5-6 minutes. If a cake breaks, you can gently but firmly reshape it. If they come out looking more like randomly-shaped patties, don’t worry; they will still taste great! When the bottoms are browned, gently turn them over and cook 5-6 minutes longer until the other side is golden brown.
While the second side is cooking, melt some butter in the bottom of a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Break the quail eggs into the pan (it is best to use quail egg scissors) and let them cook sunny side up, until the whites are fully cooked and the yolk is somewhat firm. (Unlike chicken eggs, little white spots will not appear to let you know the yolk is done.) Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Plate each rice cake on a bed of lettuce (season with oil and vinegar, if you like), and top with a sunny side up quail egg.
