Roasted Quail in Vine Leaves
EasySERVINGS FOR 4 PEOPLE
- 4 large quail
- 3 fresh Tuscan sausages or slices of bacon
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- 8 vine leaves in brine
- 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs
- 2 cloves garlic
- 40 gr butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- salt and black pepper
Pass the quails over a flame to remove any hair, then remove the head, legs, goiter, and entrails. I then wash them well and dry them inside and out.
Peel the fresh sausages (or mince the slices of bacon) separate the pulp of the sausages by hand.
Mince the garlic and mix the sausage pulp (or bacon) with the garlic and parsley.
Season the hearts and livers with salt and pepper.
Divide the sausage pulp mixture into 4 parts and add in a little each of the chopped hearts and liver of the quail.
Stuff a little of the sausage and entrails mixture into each bird.
Add a sprig of rosemary.
Grease the quails with a little butter.
Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and season them with salt and pepper.
Roll the birds in the lightly salted breadcrumbs and wrap them with the vine leaves.
Use kitchen string to tie them keeping them well fixed and firm.
The ideal cooking method would be on a spit over a low fire, rotating every now and then, but the roasting option of the oven can work too. If you don’t have that, you can cook the quail under the grill by placing them on a grill with a dripping pan to collect any liquid for the first 10 minutes and then turning them 1 time.
Finish cooking them in a hot oven at 180 ° C for the remaining 10-15 minutes, depending on their size.
Cooking must be done so that the leaves do not burn. If necessary, wet the vine leaves with the cooking liquid or cover them the last few minutes with aluminum foil.
Serve hot and accompanied with cooked vegetables, mushrooms and, if you like, a good polenta.
