INGREDIENTS:
8 Quail
10 Sprigs of thyme
200gm Whole frozen chestnuts
4 tablespoons Clarified butter
6 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Verjuice
3 Witlof
1 Radicchio
100gm Rocket
To taste Sea Salt
To taste Freshly cracked pepper
METHOD: Bone the quail leaving in the breast bone to protect the meat and then separate the legs from breast and cut the breast in half down the breast bone. Toss the quail in a tablespoon of the olive oil and remove the leaves from thyme and add to quail. Season with a little cracked pepper. Let stand for 20 minutes.
Place the chestnuts in a microwave proof bowl and add ¼ cup water. Cover and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Clean the greens and set aside in a large bowl. Combine the rest of the olive oil with the 2 tablespoons of Verjuice and season to taste for vinaigrette.
Heat a heavy based frypan and add clarified butter. Toss chestnuts in the butter till cooked through and golden. Put aside. Season the quail with salt and quickly sear, skin side first all the quail pieces in the same pan.
Turn the quail, and seal the other side for 3 minutes then deglaze the pan with remaining verjuice. Toss chestnuts back into the pan combining the flavours. As the quail without bones cook so quickly it will be sufficient resting just tossing the greens in the vinaigrette and then add the quail and chestnuts with the pans juices, serve immediately.
