Prosciutto Wrapped Quail Orange Blossom Polenta

Prosciutto-Wrapped Quail w/ Orange Blossom Polenta

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Quail, Orange Blossom-Scented Polenta & a Pan Sauce

Makes 4 Servings
wine WINE PAIRING
Oregon Pinot Noir

This dish features prosciutto, ras el hanout & orange blossom water.  While that may seem like a culinary culture clash, we promise the results are delicious.  Meaty prosciutto-wrapped quail with plump stock-infused plums and lightly orange blossom scented, creamy polenta…yum!

Prosciutto-Wrapped Quail w/ Orange Blossom Polenta
INGREDIENTS
  • 4 Semi-Boneless Quail
  • 1 tsp Ras el Hanout
  • 4 thin slices of Prosciutto
  • Thinly Sliced Orange Zest
  • Salt

  • Infused Stock:
  • 1 cup Chicken or Roasted Rabbit Stock
  • 1/8th tsp Orange Blossom Water
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 1 strip Orange Zest
  • 12 Dried Plums

  • Polenta:
  • 3 1/2 cups Chicken or Roasted Rabbit Stock
  • 1 cup Medium Grind (Regular) Dry Polenta
  • 1/2 tsp Salt, plus extra to taste
  • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter

  • Pan Sauce:
  • ¼ cup minced Shallot
  • Splash of Cointreau
  • ¼ cup White Wine
  • 1 tsp chopped Thyme
  • Squeeze of Orange Juice
  • 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
  • ½ tsp Ras el Hanout

DIRECTIONS

1

Infuse the Stock: Pour the cup of stock into a small saucepan with the cinnamon stick, plums, orange blossom water and orange zest.  Bring the liquid to a boil, then remove the pot from the heat and let infuse for 30 minutes.

Strain the liquid & reserve it and the plums.
2

Season the insides & outsides of the quail with a small amount of salt (less than you would normally use for poultry) and the ras el hanout.
3

Roll each quail around itself in so it plumps up and looks like a bone-in quail.  Cross the legs.  Then roll each quail in a slice of prosciutto.  Pull the wings out from under the prosciutto layer (so diners will be able to see them).
4

Make the Polenta: heat the remaining stock in a large sauce pot on the stove with the salt.  Rain in the polenta, whisking constantly.  Continue to whisk on the heat until the polenta has thickened and is cooked through.
5

When the polenta has cooked, whisk in the infused stock and the butter.  Taste & add additional salt & orange blossom water to taste.
6

Heat a large, oiled cast iron skillet over high heat on the stove.
7

Sear the quail in the skillet, gently turning as the meat releases from the pan, until they develop a nice brown crust & are cooked through.
8

Remove the quail from the pan and add the shallot to the residual fat.  Reduce the heat and sweat the shallots until translucent.
9

Deglaze the pan with the Cointreau, white wine & orange.  Add the thyme.  Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency.  Remove the pan from the heat & swirl in the butter. Add the ras al hanout & salt to taste.
10

Halve the rehydrated plums.
11

Serve each plate with a quail over the polenta, finished with the sauce, sliced orange zest and eight plum halves.

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