Start with two jumbo quail from D'artagnan. Rinse the quail thoroughly, inside and out, and pat dry. Leave the legs tied.
Remove the casing from a link of alligator boudin from Louisiana Crawfish Co. Stuff the quails' cavities with the boudin. Do not overstuff the cavity; leave the boudin loosely packed.
Season the quails on the outside with salt.
Heat a large stock pot filled with water to 150°using your Joule sous vide. Place each quail in its own bag and seal it using your Weston vacuum sealer. I prefer to use the pulse setting and stop the vacuum process before the quail gets crushed by the collapsing bag. Add to the heated water. If the bags float, use clips to attach them to the sides and hold them below the water level.
Cook for 2 hours.
Remove the bags from the water and then remove the quail from the bags. Pat dry. Using a kitchen propane or butane torch, brown the quail all over.
Brush the quail with a bourbon glaze. Quickly flash it with the torch to slightly caramelize the glaze.
Combine the remaining boudin with some leftover jambalaya or some other rice. Mix in one beaten egg. Form into 6 balls using a 4-ounce disher. Pack the balls tightly. Place on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set. Roll the balls in flour, dip in egg wash, and then into Panko bread crumbs. Air fry in a preheated Breville Smart Oven for 13 minutes at 375 or until the balls reach an internal temperature of 160°. Do not allow crust to burn.
Serve with remoulade sauce.
We drank a 2017 Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove from Bolgheri. This is the second wine of Ornellaia. The 2017 is a charming, easy to drink, fruity wine that made a great match for the complex flavors of the meal. It's a blend of 54% Merlot, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 6% Petit Verdot, which can compete with similar blends from Bordeaux or Napa. Plums, black cherries, blackberries, blueberries. Grade: A-
