Entrée: United States – Wine-Braised Quail with Apricots

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 24 min

Total 34 min

Ingredients

4 whole quail, trussed (optional), about 1 lb total (450 g total)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 small onion or 2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
6 oz / 170 g shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 / 2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
4 apricots, pitted and quartered (or 1 / 3 cup / 50 g chopped dried apricots)
1 bay leaf and 1 small thyme sprig
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tbsp (15 g) butter (optional, for finishing)

Instructions

1. Season quail all over with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a wide pot or deep skillet over medium-high; brown quail on all sides, 5–6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
2. Add onion and garlic; cook until translucent, 2–3 minutes. Stir in shiitakes and a pinch of salt; sauté 3 minutes.
3. Deglaze with white wine; reduce by half. Add stock, apricots, bay leaf, and thyme; return quail to the pot.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes, turning quail once.
5. Uncover, add asparagus, and simmer 4–5 minutes more until asparagus is crisp-tender and quail is cooked through.
6. Remove herbs. Swirl in butter to enrich the sauce; adjust seasoning.
7. Serve quail with the braising vegetables and spoon sauce over top (excellent with crusty bread or buttered noodles).