Quail With Fregola And Olives Recipes

QUAIL WITH FREGOLA AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Rinse the quails, pat them dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large sauté pan. Brown as many quails, skin side down, as will fit in one layer. Remove seared birds to a platter and repeat with the rest. Mix the tapenade with the remaining olive oil and spread on the uncooked side of each quail.
• Heat the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Meanwhile, turn the heat in the sauté pan to low, add the fennel, onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, rosemary and olives. Stir in the fregola. Begin adding warm stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring while it is absorbed, as if making risotto. After 20 to 25 minutes, the fregola should be al dente. Add any quail juices from the platter and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spoon the fregola into a large baking dish. On top of it, arrange the quails, skin side up, slightly overlapping. Bake 20 minutes.

FREGULA WITH BRAISED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Coat a large saucepan generously with extra virgin olive oil. Add the onions and bring to a medium high heat. Season generously with salt and add the crushed red pepper. Saute until the onions are translucent and very aromatic, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the tomatoes. Fill the tomato can with water and add to the pan. Season with salt and cook over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the water has reduced. Add the squash, stock, and bay leaf. Taste for seasoning and season with salt if needed. Cook until the squash is cooked through and most of the liquid has absorbed, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Bring a pan of well-salted water to a boil. Add the fregula and cook until it is cooked through but still al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Strain and add to the pot with tomatoes and squash. Stir to incorporate. Add more stock or water if the mixture is dry and cook longer if it is too soupy. When done it should have a stew-like consistency. Stir in the chives. This will be really good today but even better tomorrow!

FREGOLA WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the chicken stock, water, and 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking: Heat 1/4 cup of the oil, over medium-high heat, in a large Dutch oven. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the Marsala wine and grape tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute, scraping the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the clams and mussels to the pan. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook until all the shellfish have opened, about 5 to 8 minutes. Discard any unopened shellfish.
• Using tongs, remove the shellfish from the pan and reserve. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large serving bowl. Pour the shellfish cooking liquid over the fregola. Add the remaining olive oil and 1/4 cup of the parsley and toss. Place the reserved shellfish on top of the fregola and garnish with the remaining parsley.