Servings: 2
Grilled Smoked Lavender Quail w/Pearl Onions
- 1 bottle Rose wine
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1 large garlic -- smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 fresh lavender twigs -- plus tsp flowers
- salt and pepper
- 4 whole quail -- cut in half
- 1 pound pearl onion
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Smoke Mixture
- 3 tablespoons jasmine tea
- 3 tablespoons jasmine flowers -- (optional)
- 2 rosemary needles -- loosely packed
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Reserving one cup of wine, place the remainder in a saucepan and simmer until wine is reduced to 1 1/2 cup. Add 1 TBS honey, 1 TBS orange zest, garlic, oil and lavender twigs. Simmer five minutes. Set pan aside to cool, then strain. Season with salt and pepper.
Place wine mixture in large bowl and add the quail. Marinate for one hour.
While quail in marinating, place onions in saucepan w/water to cover. Simmer three minutes. Drain and cut off root ends and peel.
Heat butter in medium skillet. Add onions and remaining honey and vinegar. Cook until onions start to brown. Add remaining wine and 1/2 TBS orange zest. Continue cooking until liquid is syrupy.
Charcoal or gas grill instructions
Place smoke mixture in disposable aluminum tray. Put tray on hot part of grill first, then move tray to cooler part of grill when it starts to smoke (lid down). Put quail on grill and cook 3-5 minutes on each side until just cooked through.
Remove quails to platter and tent with foil. Briefly reheat onion mixture, correct seasonings and add any pan juices to onions. Stir in lavender flowers and serve with quail.
Mashed Root Vegetables
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsnips
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped turnips
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped white potato
- 1 small sweet potato, baked or microwaved until done
- 1/4 cup of cream
- 2 TBS butter
- salt and pepper to taste
In pot put parsnips, turnips, carrots and white potato and cover with water. Salt water. When vegetables are just tender, strain and put back in pot with sweet potato. Pour in cream and butter. With hand blender, cream vegetables until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
Sauteed Spinach
- 2 lbs spinach
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 TBS butter
- salt and pepper to taste
Put cleaned spinach in pan. Pour in chicken broth and white wine. Salt and pepper to taste. Saute just until wilted. Mix butter in and plate.
