Grilled Quail with Sesame and Ginger
Flavors of England. New Zealander Peter Gordon is chef at London's famed Sugar Club. His culinary art consists of combining modern-day British ingredients with the most exotic flavors. He says, "Quail are perfect for a barbecue because they're easy to hold and they drip just enough juice on your fingers to make eating them a real pleasure." Total time: less than 15 minutes. Difficulty: Easy.
Ingredients
| 8 | Quails | |
| a good handful | Basil leaves, cut into ribbons | |
| 3 tbsp + 1 tsp | Sesame oil | |
| 2 tsp | 10 ml | Sesame seeds |
| 1 small piece | Ginger, finely grated | |
| 3 | Garlic cloves, finely chopped | |
| 4 tsp | 20 ml | Nuoc mam or soy sauce |
| 3 tsp | 15 ml | Mirin, sake or rice vinegar |
| 4 tsp | 20 ml | Wine vinegar |
| 1 tbsp | 15 ml | Brown sugar |
| — | Lemon juice |
Instructions
- Cut out the backbone of each quail with kitchen shears so that you can open them up flat (called "spatchcocking").
- Place them into a large deep dish; add all the ingredients for the marinade; cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before cooking.
- Move all the coals to the center of the barbecue. Place the quails on the grill, flat on their backs. Close the lid if your barbecue has one, so that the heat and smoke can circulate freely. Cook for 6 minutes.
- Lift the lid, turn the quails, close again and cook another 5-8 minutes. To check for doneness, insert the blade of a pointed knife into the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. If the juices are still pink, continue cooking and check again.
- Place 2 quails on each plate on a bed of basil leaves. Drizzle lightly with lemon juice.