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Roasted quail with prunes

Quails are tiny birds, so they don’t require a long time to cook. One bird is normally served per person, so it’s ideal for dinner parties or for special celebrations. I made this delicious roasted quail  with prunes and chestnuts and served it with a mash and steamed asparagus. This dish is perfect for anniversaries, Valentine’s day, Mother’s day or even for a Christmas meal for two.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 1 people
Cuisine: British
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • Per quail:
  • 4 prunes deseeded
  • 2 Tbsp Liqueur cognac or rum
  • 2 cooked or roasted chestnuts
  • ½ Tbsp chopped rosemary or thyme
  • 3 strips of smoked streaky bacon
  • Ground pepper

Method
 

  1. Soak the prunes in your chosen alcohol. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  2. Cut 1 strip of bacon into small cubes and roughly chop the chestnuts.
  3. Pour some oil in a pan, fry the bacon pieces, then add the herbs and chestnuts and fry for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Coarsely chop cut 2 pieces of prunes, add these to the bacon. (Leave the other two prunes soaking in alcohol).
  5. Fill the quail’s cavity with the mixture, then warp it with 2 bacon strips. Season with pepper (no salt needed as smoked bacon is salty)
  6. Repeat the above for each bird.
  7. Put the quail(s) in a baking dish, tie the legs, then put the rest of the prunes around them, together with the marinade. Bake for about 30 minutes until the quail is light brown and the bacon is crispy. Don’t overcook it!