Have a go at making this Quail and Mushrooms dish by Ben Godwin, executive sous chef at The Grand, York
Ingredients
2 whole quail
2 bunches of hen of the woods mushrooms
2 leaves of rainbow chard
1 litre chicken stock
100ml double cream
Butter
Thyme
Garlic cloves
Salt
Sherry vinegar
Cep puree (or any other mushroom puree)
For the cep puree:
15g butter
1 shallot, chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
25g ceps, chopped
110g button mushrooms, chopped
50ml white wine
110ml double cream
Method
Remove necks, legs and wings from the quail, reserve for sauce.
Roast necks, legs and wings in butter over a medium heat, de-glaze with a splash of sherry vinegar.
Add chicken stock and reduce by two thirds, skimming frequently.
Strain the quail parts from the reduced stock, and place stock in a clean pan. Add the double cream and reduce to desired sauce consistency, season to taste with salt and sherry vinegar.
Pan-roast the quail crowns, basting in foaming butter, with a sprig of thyme and a couple of smashed garlic cloves.
Continue to cook until the breast is pink and skin is a delicious golden brown, then set aside to rest.
Break the mushroom bunches into halves and pan-roast in more foaming butter until cooked through.
Cut the rainbow chard leaves in half lengthways and quickly blanch in salted boiling water.
To plate, carve breasts from the quail and place in a shallow bowl, spoon cep puree alongside, and place roasted mushrooms on top of the puree. Then place the rainbow chard leaves over the top of the quail and mushrooms and pour the sauce.
Cep Pureé
Melt the butter in a frying pan set over a medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the wine and cream and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Place in a blender and mix to a puree, or puree with a hand-held blender, then season with salt and pepper.
