Quail with Lentils

Main Dishes | French cuisine

⏳ Time

25 minutes

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

Quail with lentils

Ingredients

Lentils - 1.8 oz
Quail Egg - 1 piece
Baking Tomatoes - 2 pieces
Garlic - 1 clove
Bacon - 0.7 oz
Parmesan Cheese - 0.4 oz
Butter - 0.4 oz
Rice Sweet Wine - 1 fl oz
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
Rosemary - 2 stalks
Thyme - 2 stalks
Fresh basil leaves - 0.2 oz
Salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Thoroughly wash the cleaned quail and place it on a paper towel. Slice the strip of bacon thinly across its width, and crush the garlic clove with a knife. Mash the peeled tomatoes with a potato masher, while halving the fresh ones. Rinse the red lentils in a sieve.

Step 2

In a preheated skillet, add a bit of oil and place a sprig of rosemary. Sear the quail on all sides until golden brown, about four to five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bird to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven for about ten minutes at 392°F. Blot any excess oil and fat with a paper towel.

Step 3

While the quail is in the oven, heat olive oil in a saucepan and sauté minced garlic, thyme, and bacon for about a minute, stirring continuously. Add the lentils and cook for another half minute. Pour in the wine, stir, add a couple of chopped basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, and mix again.

Step 4

Transfer the peeled tomatoes to the saucepan, and remove the garlic and thyme. Keep the pot on the heat for a couple more minutes, stirring the contents. Add pepper. Once the lentils reach an al dente stage, remove from heat and add a cube of butter, followed by grated Parmesan after it melts. There's no need to add salt — the bacon takes care of that.

Step 5

Using a culinary ring, carefully arrange the lentils on the plate, and place the halved roasted quail, cut lengthwise, on top. Garnish the dish with thyme, rosemary, and basil. For added color, you can include a bit of pesto sauce and some chips made from tomato skins.