Mediterranean quail

I don't eat quail a lot but when I do, it needs to be superbly good - finger licking! And these quail are just perfect for this reason. Pack with dried herbs, a splash of balsamic vinegar and some pungent chili flakes. Nothing more is needed, except a big bowl of salad and fresh bread.

4 quail
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. anise seeds
1 tbsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. chili flakes
2 big garlic cloves, mashed
zest of half an orange
4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. date or golden syrup

Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave in the fridge for at least 12 hours. If you want more flavor, then 24 h will do.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the quail in a deep pan and roast in a preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the juices are pale pink when a fine skewer is inserted into the thigh. Don’t forget that quail love it when you baste them with the juices from the pan. Three times will be great and make the bird juicier.

I baked my quail in a combination steam oven on the 50/50 setting, which means that it uses 50% steam and 50% heating. This is just perfect for quail as they have a tendency to dry out while cooking.

Serve with salad and fresh bread. Perfect.

Recipe: Signe Meirane
Photography: Armands Meirans