Wash two small handfuls of frissee and pat dry.
Poach two eggs. (I like to make them ahead and then gently reheat them in the sauce for a few moments.)
Quail
Combine last 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Put quail in a large plastic zip-top bag, add marinade. Marinate 4-6 hours. Remove quail from marinade. Pat dry. Spatchcock the quail: Thread two wooden skewers crosswise through the bird to hold it flat in position. Each skewer should pass through a wing and out through the leg on the opposite side, forming an X.
Heat gas grill on high. Turn grill down to medium-high. Grill quail about 4 minutes per side, starting with skin side down. Remove from heat, tent with foil and allow to rest briefly. Remove skewers before serving. Cut each quail into quarters.
Warm Lentil Salad
Cover lentils, carrot, and onion with cold water. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook at a low simmer for 20 minutes. Check for doneness. Discard carrot and onion. Drain and reserve.
Render bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Remove bacon pieces, draining on a paper towel, and reserving. Blot up all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from pan. Sweat shallots, carrots, and garlic until tender. Add lentils and bacon. Add vinegar and oil. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm. If lentil mix is too dry (I like them a little saucy), add a bit of low-sodium chicken stock.
Garlic Cream Sauce
Cut off top of garlic. Drizzle cloves with olive oil. Wrap in foil and cook in preheated 400° oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, unwrap, and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic into a small sauce pan. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by about one third. Add cream, bring back to a low simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Transfer mix to a blender or use an immersion blender in the pan. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To plate: Put a few tablespoons of cream sauce in the bottom of a large pasta bowl. Add a couple of scoops of lentil salad. Top with frisee, poached egg, and quail. Drizzle a bit of garlic cream sauce over all to taste.
To drink? A mature California Pinot Noir will offer plenty of fruit, smooth tannins, and a gamy edge that will match up nicely to the earthy elements in the meal from the fowl, garlic, and lentils.
Alternatively, and this was my choice, one could play off the bistro nature of this meal and go for that classic Parisian bistro wine--a red from the Loire Valley. A 6 year old Charles Joguet wine from the Chinon appellation worked very well.
Poach two eggs. (I like to make them ahead and then gently reheat them in the sauce for a few moments.)
Quail
- 2 semi-boneless quail
\t\t - ¼ cup olive oil
\t\t - 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
\t\t - 2 cloves garlic cut in half
\t\t - 1 shallot cut in half
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine last 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Put quail in a large plastic zip-top bag, add marinade. Marinate 4-6 hours. Remove quail from marinade. Pat dry. Spatchcock the quail: Thread two wooden skewers crosswise through the bird to hold it flat in position. Each skewer should pass through a wing and out through the leg on the opposite side, forming an X.
Heat gas grill on high. Turn grill down to medium-high. Grill quail about 4 minutes per side, starting with skin side down. Remove from heat, tent with foil and allow to rest briefly. Remove skewers before serving. Cut each quail into quarters.
Warm Lentil Salad
- ¾ cup green lentils picked over and rinsed
\t\t - 1 carrot, scrubbed and chopped into 3 pieces
\t\t - 1 small yellow onion studded with 2 cloves
\t\t - 2 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips
\t\t - 2 shallots, finely diced
\t\t - 2 tablespoons finely diced carrot
\t\t - 1 clove garlic, finely minced
\t\t - 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
\t\t - 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
\t\t - salt and pepper to taste
Cover lentils, carrot, and onion with cold water. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook at a low simmer for 20 minutes. Check for doneness. Discard carrot and onion. Drain and reserve.
Render bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Remove bacon pieces, draining on a paper towel, and reserving. Blot up all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat from pan. Sweat shallots, carrots, and garlic until tender. Add lentils and bacon. Add vinegar and oil. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm. If lentil mix is too dry (I like them a little saucy), add a bit of low-sodium chicken stock.
Garlic Cream Sauce
- 1 head garlic.
\t\t - 2 tablespoons olive oil
\t\t - 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
\t\t - ¾ cup heavy cream
\t\t - pinch salt
\t\t - a couple of grinds of white pepper
Cut off top of garlic. Drizzle cloves with olive oil. Wrap in foil and cook in preheated 400° oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, unwrap, and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic into a small sauce pan. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until reduced by about one third. Add cream, bring back to a low simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Transfer mix to a blender or use an immersion blender in the pan. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To plate: Put a few tablespoons of cream sauce in the bottom of a large pasta bowl. Add a couple of scoops of lentil salad. Top with frisee, poached egg, and quail. Drizzle a bit of garlic cream sauce over all to taste.
To drink? A mature California Pinot Noir will offer plenty of fruit, smooth tannins, and a gamy edge that will match up nicely to the earthy elements in the meal from the fowl, garlic, and lentils.
Alternatively, and this was my choice, one could play off the bistro nature of this meal and go for that classic Parisian bistro wine--a red from the Loire Valley. A 6 year old Charles Joguet wine from the Chinon appellation worked very well.
