Quaglie Alla Melagrana Quail With Pomegranate Recipes

POMEGRANATE-CINNAMON GRILLED QUAIL

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium. Combine pomegranate molasses, orange juice, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Drizzle quail with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, breast-side down, over medium heat, for about 7 minutes total or until golden brown and slightly charred. When quail is 3/4 cooked brush with glaze, turn over, brush the other side with glaze, and continue grilling until just cooked through. Remove from the grill and serve 2 quail per person.

QUAGLIE ALLA MELAGRANA (QUAIL WITH POMEGRANATE)

Steps:

• Stir together 1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds, pomegranate juice, orange juice, Marsala, mint, and orange zest in a very large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the quail, and turn to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Remove the quail from the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Strain the marinade, reserving the liquid, and stuff the quail with the pomegranate seeds. Wrap each quail with 1 slice of pancetta.
• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the quail 4 at a time in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes total. Place the quail into a large roasting pan in a single layer; set aside. Pour the chicken stock and reserved liquid marinade into the skillet, and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until the sauce has reduced to half its original volume. Pour the sauce over the quail.
• Bake the quail in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Pour the juices from the baking dish back into the skillet; cover the quail with aluminum foil, and keep warm. Taste the juices, and add additional orange juice and Marsala wine if desired. Stir in the orange segments, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook a few minutes until hot. Pour the sauce and orange segments over the quail, and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds to serve.

QUAIL WITH POMEGRANATE JUS

Steps:

• Combine shallots, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice, 2 teaspoons tarragon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add quail, tossing gently to coat, then marinate, covered and chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
• Remove quail from marinade, scraping off shallots and reserving marinade, then pat quail dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Cook 4 quail, turning over once, until browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. (Quail will be rare.) Transfer cooked quail to a serving dish and keep warm, loosely covered with foil. Cook remaining 4 quail in remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same manner, transferring to serving dish.
• Add reserved marinade to skillet and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up any brown bits with a wooden spoon, until shallots are just softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice and season with salt, then spoon over quail. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and remaining teaspoon tarragon.
• To juice a pomegranate, cut in half crosswise, then use a manual or electric juicer. Alternatively, remove seeds from pomegranate and pulse seeds in a food processor until juicy, then transfer seeds to a sieve and drain, pressing on and then discarding solids.

QUAIL STUFFED WITH POMEGRANATE

Steps:

• Combine the wine, honey, mint and sage in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Peel the pomegranates and carefully remove the seeds by breaking the pomegranates into sections.
• Place the pomegranate seeds and the quails in the wine mixture. Let marinate in the refrigerator, 2 to 4 hours.
• Remove the quails from the marinade and pat dry. Drain the seeds out of the marinade. Reserve 1/3 cup of the seeds and stuff the quails with the rest. Reserve the marinade.
• Truss the quails and wrap each in two slices of pancetta.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the lard or oil and quickly brown the quails. Place them in the oven and bake 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the quails from the oven and transfer them to a serving platter. Deglaze the pan with the reserved marinade over high heat, stir in the reserved pomegranate seeds, pour over the quails and serve.