Recipe#6405

Title: QUAILS ON MUSHROOMS

  Source: Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British), September 1988.
  Typed for you by Karen Mintzias

   6                    Plump young quails
   6                    Big flat mushrooms -- plus...
   6       oz           Mushrooms for the stuffing
   6       oz           Butter
   3                    Garlic cloves (or more)
                        Lemon juice
                        Parsley
                        Chives
                        Tarragon
  To make the duxelles, first chop the 6 oz mushrooms plus the stalks from
  the big flat mushrooms on which you will sit the quails.  Chop finely,
  using a knife, not a food processor.  Mix in 1 very finely chopped garlic
  clove, about 9 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons snipped
  chives and 1 heaped tablespoon fresh tarragon (or a generous 1 1/2 teaspoon
  dried tarragon if fresh is not available).  Cook the mixture in a little
  butter over moderate heat for 3 minutes or so, stirring often. Season well
  with salt, pepper and about 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
  
  Let the duxelles cool before using it to stuff the birds.  Spread it gently
  between the flesh and the skin, all over the breast area, to plump up the
  quails prettily.  Secure the flap of neck skin under each bird with a
  wooden toothpick.  If the skin is torn, put the stuffing into the body
  cavities instead.  Tie up the legs of each bird to keep it neatly shaped.
  
  Make about 5 oz garlic butter and reserve it.  Choose a roasting tin or
  baking dish just large enough to take the 6 flat mushrooms side by side.
  
  When ready to cook, melt a nugget of the garlic butter in the roasting tin.
  Turn the birds in it to coat them with fat, then arrange them, breast down,
  on a rack suspended across the roasting tin.  Bake at 425 F (220 C) gas
  mark 7 for 15 minutes.
  
  Put the mushrooms in the tin, arranging them gill side up, and dot them
  with the rest of the garlic butter.  Put the rack of quails back on top of
  the tin and turn the birds breast side up. Position the birds carefully,
  placing each one above a mushroom so that the meat juices will drip on to
  the mushrooms during cooking.  Bake for 20 minutes or so until the birds
  and mushrooms are perfectly cooked.
  
  Sit the birds on the mushrooms and serve straight away, or cover and keep
  hot at 250 F (120 C) gas mark 1/2 until ready to serve.  Rice, couscous or
  burghul, and crisp peppery watercress go well with this dish.