serves
4
prep
20 minutes
cook
2 hours
difficulty
Mid
serves
4
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
2
hours
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
- 6 de-boned quails, wing tips off (ask your butcher if you can keep all of the bones)
- 75 ml marsala
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 170 g ricotta
- 12 small sage leaves, finely sliced
- 1 lemon, zested, plus a squeeze of lemon juice
- river salt and black pepper
- 18 green olives, pitted
- 6 long slices prosciutto
- olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°C. Hopefully you have a nice pile of bones from your butcher (if not, you’ll have to rely on the flavour of the chicken stock). Place the bones on a baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. Transfer bones to a saucepan, making sure you scrape the tray nicely to get all the tasty residual meat scraps. Place the pan on high heat, add the marsala and reduce for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring up to just boiling point, then turn it down to a low simmer. Simmer for 1–1 ½ hours, until reduced by about half. Skim the scum from the surface as necessary.
Place the ricotta in a bowl with the sage and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 200°C.
Spread 1 quail out on a board, skin-side down. Lightly season the flesh and then place a spoonful of the ricotta mix right in the middle of the bird in between the breast. Spread it gently so it runs in a line from top to bottom. Place three olives along the top of the mixture. Gently fold the bird over so the two edges meat.
Lay a slice of prosciutto down, give it a little splash of oil and then carefully place a quail in the middle of the slice, breast-side up. Using the edges of the prosciutto, coming under the little wing bits, wrap the bird up. Repeat with the remaining quails, filling and prosciutto.
Lightly oil a large baking tray and arrange the birds on it skin-side up and not too close together. Add another drizzle of oil and a few turns of pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, strain the sauce into clean saucepan, add a splash of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Whisk to combine and season with a nice amount of salt.
Remove tray from oven, cover with foil and rest in a warm place for 3 minutes.
When ready to serve, cut two quails in half lengthways to show off their pretty stuffing, then arrange on a large warmed platter with the whole birds. Add any tray juices to your sauce, pour over and eat quickly before the little birds get cold.
Note
Photography by Benito Martin
Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd
Platter from Mud Australia
Stone from Onsite Supply & Design
Styling by Jerrie-Joy Redman-Lloyd
Platter from Mud Australia
Stone from Onsite Supply & Design
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
