Easy Weekday Suppers: Quail in a Jar

Thanks to everyone who came for Gilt Club's debut on the Food Network Friday night. We had a great time.

A lot of you have been asking for the quail in a jar recipe. Chris is usually pretty tight-lipped about his recipes but we convinced him to share this one with you. In addition to being an amazing presentation and wildly flavorful, it's a great way to use up that extra quail stock you have laying around the house.

So without further ado...

“Quail in a Jar”

Foie gras-stuffed quail with buttery cabbage cooked in a jar


Serves 4


For Quail

4 semi-boneless quail
8 ounces of foie gras
2 sprigs of sage
Sea salt and pepper to taste


Buttery Cabbage Stuffing

1 head of savoy cabbage
1 pound of bacon lardoons (cut one inch by ¼ inch)
1 pound of cipollini onions
½ pound of butter, unsalted
4 sprigs of thyme, stripped and chopped
2 tablespoons of rough chopped parsley
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Bacon Liver Mousse

8 ounces of chicken liver
¼ pound of butter, unsalted
1 garlic clove
¼ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon of sea salt
¼ teaspoon of fresh ground pepper
1 ounce of brandy
½ pound of bacon


Meat Glaze

2 cups chicken, duck or quail stock
1 cup balsamic vinegar
½ pound of shallots
Sprig of thyme


To Finish

4 slices of grilled or toasted rustic white bread
Picked Italian parsley for garnish
Extra virgin olive oil
Fava beans or English peas (optional)


Preparation


Bacon Liver Mousse:

Take 4 ounces of the livers and quickly sauté them in a little butter. Cook liver and bacon until they are medium rare. With the same pan deglaze with brandy and cook down by half. Add the rest of the butter, melt and throw in the onions and cook until they are translucent (no color at all). In the blender - add the raw livers, cream, salt, pepper and the cooked ingredients and blend them thoroughly. Place mousse mixture in a terrine pan or loaf pan in a water bath and cook at 325 degrees until mousse reads 145 degrees internally. Chill mousse for 6 hours or overnight.


Cabbage:

Cut the cabbage up into big squares. Take the bacon lardoons and cook them to medium. Discard most of the rendered fat (or save for some other dish), place the cipollini onions in the pan and cook on medium heat until it gains color. Then add the butter and garlic and sauté until it starts to turn golden brown. Add the cabbage and cook slowly until it is cooked through. Place the bacon back in the pan, then thyme, parsley, salt and pepper to finish.


Quail:

Take the quail and liberally salt and pepper them inside and out. Then stuff each bird with two to three leaves of sage and two ounces of foie gras (but I would say the more foie the better). Set aside to chill in the fridge.


Meat Glaze:

Chop shallots and cook in oil until caramelized, add poultry stock and balsamic vinegar and reduce until it is a syrup (coats the back of a spoon.).


Assembly and Finish:

Take two tablespoons of meat glaze and place in a 12-ounce mason jar. Then the stuffed quail, then the cabbage mixture and then secure the lid and boil in water for 10 to 12 minutes. While the jars are cooking toast or grill the bread then place a good amount of the liver mousse on each. Place liver toast and fresh parsley on the plate and garnish with olive oil, sea salt and pepper.

Pull the jars when the time is up or they can slide easily. Be careful, the jars will be hot. Pour the jars onto the toast, leaving the quail on top of the cabbage. Enjoy.