Quail Stuffed with Goat Cheese
(Courtesy of Mark May of 1862 David Walley’s Restaurant and Saloon in Genoa. Can also be made with chicken breasts)
6 quail (or 6 medium chicken breasts, boneless with skin on)
½ cup goat cheese (for chicken breasts, use ¾ cup)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 large clove fresh garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mint leaves chiffonade
Place olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and pepper in blender. Blend until combined and set aside.
Rinse quail and pat dry. Stuff with goat cheese and press to flatten. Layer quail in a pan with seasoned oil and allow to marinate several hours or overnight in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature and grill 3 minutes per side (for medium-rare; cooking time depends on preference).
For chicken breasts: Rinse and pat dry. Cut a deep pocket in breast and stuff with goat cheese. Brush breasts with seasoned oil and allow to marinate several hours or overnight in refrigerator. Grill or sauté, skin side down, until nicely browned. Place in roasting pan and bake in 350-degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Cooking time will depend on size of breasts.
To serve with Kabocha Squash Pancakes (recipe provided below): Cut each pancake in half; arrange in a fan on plate. Top with quail or chicken breast. Drizzle with sauces of choice. (See below for sauce recipes.) Top with mint.
The following recipes are also part of the Quail Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Roasted Chicken Jus Vinaigrette
(Courtesy of Mark May of 1862 David Walley’s Restaurant and Saloon, serves 6)
Pan Juices from a Roasted Chicken (about 4 ounces)
1 ounces butter, melted
2 ounces Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Sherry Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
At some point while roasting a chicken, remove the cooked chicken from the roasting pan and tilt off the fat. Deglaze the pan with a cup of water and reduce by ½. Strain and save. Combine with other ingredients and whisk together.
Chive Oil
(Recipe from courtesy of Mark May of 1862 David Walley’s Restaurant and Saloon, serves 6)
4 ounces chives
4 ounces canola oil
Quickly blanch chives in boiling water and shock them in an ice bath to lightly cook while retaining bright green color. Remove chives from ice bath and lightly pat dry with a paper towel. Cut chives into 1-inch pieces and combine with oil; blend until liquefied. Strain the mixture through a fine cloth and refrigerate unless being used immediately.
Butternut Vinaigrette
(Recipe from courtesy of Mark May of 1862 David Walley’s Restaurant and Saloon, serves 6)
4 pounds butternut squash, cubed
5 ounces canola oil
1 ounce sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a juicer, juice squash. Four pounds of squash should yield about a quart of liquid and foam. Put juice and foam into a large pot and reduce over medium heat until thick and syrupy; the yield should be about 5 ounces. Cool squash syrup in refrigerator. Once cooled, put syrup into blender. Place plastic wrap over top of blender allowing a well in the center while keeping edges sealed. Poke 5 to 6 holes in the plastic wrap with a sharp knife. Start blender and pour half the oil over top of your plastic wrap, allowing oil to drain slowly and emulsify. Add vinegar and remaining oil in same fashion and continue blending. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Beet Vinaigrette
(Recipe from courtesy of Mark May of 1862 David Walley’s Restaurant and Saloon, serves 6)
3 pounds large beets, cubed
5 ounces canola oil
1 ounce apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a juicer, juice beets. Beets should yield about a quart of liquid and foam. Put juice and foam into a large pot and reduce over medium heat until thick and syrupy; yield should be about 5 ounces. Cool beet syrup in refrigerator. Once cooled, put syrup into blender. Place plastic wrap over top of t blender allowing a well in center while keeping the edges sealed. Poke 5 to 6 holes in plastic wrap with a sharp knife. Start blender and pour half oil over top of your plastic wrap, allowing oil to drain slowly and emulsify. Add vinegar and remaining oil in same fashion and continue blending. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
