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GRILLED
QUAIL SALAD
Michael Lomonaco of Noche - New York City
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield:
4 main course or 8 appetizer servings
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 lemon, juiced and cut into quarters
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 stalk lemongrass, crushed to release its oils
- 2-3 star anise
- 2 Tablespoons molasses
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 whole chili pepper pods, or ½ teaspoon crushed
chili peppers
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
- 8 whole quail, preferably with breast bone removed
- 2 cups mesclun salad mix, or your own mix of tender
salad greens
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- ½ cup fragrant extra virgin olive oil
- 1 papaya, pitted, peeled and sliced
- 1 mango peeled, pitted, and sliced
- ½ cup shelled pumpkin seeds, toasted 2-4 minutes
in a 250° oven and salted
Combine
the orange and lemon juice, bay leaves, crushed lemongrass,
star anise, molasses, soy, chili, garlic and ginger and
marinate the quail for several hours, or overnight, covered,
in the refrigerator.
To
make the dressing for the salad, combine the mustard, vinegar
and honey and whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion.
Remove
the quail from the marinade and grill over an outdoor barbecue
for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or cook over medium heat
in a cast iron skillet for 10 to 12 minutes, turning frequently
to avoid burning. Remove from the heat and let the quail
rest for several minutes before serving.
Toss
the salad greens with the dressing and divide among 4 plates.
Top each salad with 2 quail for a main course and garnish
each with several slices of papaya and mango and sprinkle
with toasted pumpkin seeds.
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