Mustard-Barbequed Quail with Vidalia Onion and Black-Eyed Pea Relish

 Amazing Chicken Recipes

Yield:
6

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound spicy bulk sausage

  • 1/2 cup minced onion, preferably Vidalia

  • 1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and minced

  • 1/4 cup grainy mustard

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, or 2 teaspoons dried

  • 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest

  • 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup cooking oil

  • 12 quail

  • Vidalia Onion and Black-Eyed Pea Relish

Directions

  1. In a medium frying pan, cook the sausage and onion over moderately high heat, breaking up the meat with a fork, until the sausage is cooked through but not browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in the apple and then pour off the fat. Cool to room temperature.

  2. Put the mustard in a food processor or blender and add the lemon juice, garlic, teriyaki sauce, thyme, lemon zest, pepper and salt. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream.

  3. Stuff the quail with the sausage, onion and apple mixture and put them in a large dish. Cover the quail with the mustard sauce and let them marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

  4. Heat the oven to 500°. Lift the quail out of the marinade but let any marinade that clings to the birds remain. Arrange the quail on a rack in a broiling pan, taking care that they don't touch one another, and cook for 7 minutes. Turn the pan and continue cooking until the quail are browned and crisp, about 7 minutes longer. The meat should still be a bit pink.

  5. To serve, spoon the black-eyed-pea relish in the center of six plates and top each serving with two of the quail.

Suggested Pairing

Look for a very young, fruity Pinot Noir from either Oregon or California to complement the spiciness of the quail.

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