Name: Italian quail with oregano
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 quails (1.3kg); 8 slice prosciutto (120g); 20 gram (¾ ounce) butter; 1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine; 2 baby fennel bulbs (260g), trimmed, sliced thinly; 4 clove garlic, unpeeled; 1 large red capsicum (bell pepper) (350g), sliced thinly; 2 medium zucchini (240g), halved lengthways, sliced thickly; 1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock; 1 medium lemon (140g), cut into eight wedges; 1/4 cup (60ml) pouring cream; 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

Italian quail with oregano

Do not be afraid of this little bird as when it is done well, it is perfection. Be careful not to overcook or it will dry out; when the meat feels firm and the juices are clear, it is done.

Serves 4

Cook

Ingredients

8 quails (1.3kg)

8 slice prosciutto (120g)

20 gram (¾ ounce) butter

1/2 cup (125ml) dry white wine

2 baby fennel bulbs (260g), trimmed, sliced thinly

4 clove garlic, unpeeled

1 large red capsicum (bell pepper) (350g), sliced thinly

2 medium zucchini (240g), halved lengthways, sliced thickly

1/2 cup (125ml) chicken stock

1 medium lemon (140g), cut into eight wedges

1/4 cup (60ml) pouring cream

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

Method

1.Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

2.Discard necks from quails. Wash quails under cold water; pat dry inside and out with absorbent paper. Tuck legs along body; wrap tightly with prosciutto to hold legs in place.

3.Heat butter in a large flameproof baking dish on stove top; cook quails, in batches, until browned all over. Remove from dish.

4.Add wine to same dish; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until wine has reduced to 1 tablespoon. Add fennel, garlic, capsicum, zucchini and stock; return to the boil. Place quails on top of vegetables; transfer dish to oven. Roast, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add lemon to dish; roast a further 10 minutes or until quails are cooked through.

5.Remove quails and garlic from dish. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic from skins into dish; stir in cream and oregano.

6.Serve quails on vegetables.

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

Instagram Facebook