Braised Quail, Garlic Mashed Potato, Mushroom

This dish feels and tastes like turkey day without all the fuss and time required for a full-blown spread. Tarragon and dried cranberries bring brightness that cuts through the delicious savoriness of the plate and blanched green beans provide a fresh crunch.

When I'm unable to head back home to hunt these birds, I can still find them in Austin - semi-boneless.

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• 🐶 Leela Storm's Suggested Pairings
• 🍽 Kitchen Critique
• ✔ Takeaways

Start by dry brining the quail. I had about five hours on these guys - normally I'd go double that.

Melt some butter with a bit of grapeseed oil and cook until brown. Then brown the quail on each side (about 2 minutes per side) and set aside.

Sauté garlic and shallot in the butter until softened. Add a couple tablespoons of flour and mix until combined.

Add mushrooms and sweat until they just begin to brown.

Add chicken stock, bay leaf, tarragon, and rosemary, along with the quail, to the mushroom mixture. Cover with foil and braise, flipping once during the cook time (about 20 minutes). I liked using foil here because it lets some steam escape and quickens the time needed to reduce the stock.

Once the quail is done, remove and let sit while the stock reduces to the consistency of your choice. Throw a few dried cranberries in and mix.

During this time, heat a pot of water and blanch the green beans.

Cut the quail through the breast to create two equal sides. Now we're ready to plate.

For final plating, add tarragon leaves and dried cranberries. The cranberries are crucial to cut through the savory nature of the dish. They bring quite a bit of great flavor.

🐶 Leela Storm's Suggested Pairings

• 🎵 Fantasic Voyage - Lakeside
• 🍷 Trefethen Chardonnay

🍽 Kitchen Critique

Want holiday flavors that are quick, easy, and good all-year-long? Look no further than the amazing quail paired with potatoes and gravy.

✔ Takeaways

• Dry brining helps with browning the birds.
• Don't skip the cranberries.
• Make sure to have some bread on-hand!