Grilled Quail with Chipotle Strawberry Sauce
Celebrate summer with this sweet and savory sauce atop wild quail
Ingredients
- 4 whole quail spatchcocked
- 1 cup chardonnay
- ½ tsp thyme fresh
- 1½ tbsp garlic freshly minced
- 1½ tbsp shallots freshly minced
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce pureed
- 8 oz fresh strawberries pureed
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper freshly cracked
- Suggested side Steamed baby spinach topped with goat cheese
- Suggested garnish Fresh basil, cut chiffonade
Instructions
- To make sauce, in a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon salted butter along with 1½ tablespoons freshly minced shallots. Lightly salt and pepper.
- Heat on medium low until shallots are soft, then add freshly minced garlic and fresh thyme. Cook for a couple minutes, then add 1 cup chardonnay.
- Puree chipotles in adobe sauce in food processor and set aside puree. Rinse out food processor and dry.
- Add strawberries (without stems) to food processor along with 1 teaspoon chipotle puree. Blend thoroughly. When 1 cup of wine has reduced to half in saucepan, add it to food processor and blend with chipotle-strawberry mix.
- Once thoroughly blended, add food processor contents back to medium saucepan and heat on low for a low simmer. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Grill spatchcocked quail until fully cooked (breasts reaching an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit, thighs closer to 180-190 F)
- Lightly steam baby spinach by adding to a skillet heated on medium. Throw in a few droplets of water to steam
- Sauce should simmer on low for about 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste. If bland, add a small pinch more of kosher salt. Taste and repeat salt addition until flavors are balanced. You can add more brown sugar, but I personally prefer this to be a balance of savory and sweet. Too much brown sugar will tilt sauce more toward sweet.
- To serve, add sauce to plate followed by lightly steamed spinach topped with goat cheese. Add grilled quail and garnish with freshly cut (chiffonade) basil.
Nutrition
Calories: 878kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 68gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 274mgSodium: 822mgPotassium: 1061mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1043IUVitamin C: 91mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 15mg
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