Roast quail is the perfect date night meal, it looks fancy but is easy to make, here it is spatchcocked & served with a marsala & grape sauce.
This recipe takes 45-50 minutes to make in total, but much of the sauce and the quail can be prepared in advance to save time.
Butterflied Quail with a Marsala and Grape Sauce
I have a real love for cooking with game birds, I’ve got recipes that range from a glorious roast pigeon to a fantastic pheasant curry and a whole roast Guinea fowl to roasted partridge.
They are superb ingredients that make meals to impress which are fantastic for everything from date nights to Christmas dinners for two.
My roast spatchcock (or butterflied) quail fits very neatly into this category and whilst it looks and sounds fancy it is remarkably easy.
It comes with a delicious and equally simple marsala wine and butter sauce that gets some sweetness from black grapes.
Whilst the bird takes a little time to prepare (budget 15-20 minutes) cooking is very quick. The sauce comes together in 15 minutes and the quail takes just 10-12 minutes to cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does quail taste like?
Quail is a very lean game bird with a mild flavour fairly similar to the flavour of pheasant.
Many people say that it tastes like a mildly “gamey” chicken, but it doesn’t taste like chicken at all. Despite tt’s relatively mild flavour is capable of holding up against quite strong flavours.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes and no! The sauce can be made to the point just before you whisk in the butter and add the grapes up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge.
The quail can be prepared and marinated in thyme and olive oil for up to 24 hours, but do not salt it until you are ready to cook.
However, the quail needs to be cooked and eaten immediately because it is very lean and will dry out if reheated.
Do I have to use a meat thermometer?
I think that a meat thermometer is essential for this recipe because overcooked quail will become dry and practically inedible.
I use my meat thermometer all of the time and despite not really being a gadget fiend, it is a must-have in the kitchen as far as I am concerned.
Can I use green or red grapes?
Yes, if you like, when testing this recipe I found that I preferred black grapes, but neither the red nor green were “horrible”.
How to Spatchcock or Butterfly a Quail
Spatchcocking or butterflying a quail is very similar to spatchcocking a chicken but on a much smaller scale.
- Begin by feeling around the neck end of the bird with your fingers to find the wishbone, then make a small cut around the wishbone and pull it out.
- Flip the bird over and cut out the backbone with some poultry shears, if needed clean out the cavity at the point.
- Flip the bird over again and press to flatten the quail, tuck the wingtips under the bird if they have not been trimmed, and that’s it, job done.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from my marsala wine and black grape sauce, I have served my roast quail with a crispy potato rosti and a take on my buttered cabbage made with sweetheart cabbage rather than savoy in these pictures.
But there are a host of wonderful options that would work just as well.
Let’s kick off with the “carb” options and I would probably stick with potatoes. Both my crushed roasted new potatoes and Parmentier potatoes would be perfect.
If spuds ain’t your thing how about a combination of roasted parsnips and carrots?
When it comes to greens something like roasted tenderstem broccoli would be ideal. You can throw it in the oven with the quail and it will cook in a similar time.
Other options that work particularly well are my braised white chicory or braised cavolo nero recipes.
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But, if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Oven.
- Hob/Stovetop.
- Small roasting tray.
- Small flat-bottomed bowl if you are preparing the quail in advance.
- 15cm or 6″ saucepan.
- Kitchen knife.
- Paring knife.
- Poultry Shears.
- Chopping board.
- Stirring spoons.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, cups and spoons.
- Quick read meat thermometer.
Roast Spatchcock Quail Recipe with a Marsala and Grape Sauce
If you are looking to impress this roast spatchcock quail recipe is perfect, and it comes with a delicious and simple marsala wine and black grape sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 Quail
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Sprig Thyme
- Generous Pinch of Coarse Sea Salt
For the Sauce:
- 1 Small (35g) Banana Shallot
- 50g (3 Tbsp) Cold Butter
- 125ml (½ Cup) Marsala Wine
- 125ml (½ Cup) Chicken Stock
- Salt to taste
- 50g (15-20) Small Black Grapes
Instructions
- Begin by spatchcocking the quail, the method is almost the same as my spatchcock chicken recipe and I have step-by-step images further up the page.
Begin by removing the wishbone, feel around the neck end of the bird and you will find it, make some cuts in the flesh around the wishbone and pull it out. Then flip the bird over and cut out the backbone using some poultry shears. Finally, turn the bird back over and press down on the breastbone to flatten the bird. - Place the spatchcocked quail in a flat-bottomed dish, drizzle it with olive oil and massage it into the bird on both sides.
- Pick the thyme leaves from the stalk, add them to the quail, then transfer the bird to the fridge for as long as you want, (up to 24 hours) making sure that you remove it 30 minutes before you start cooking.
- Cut the shallot for the sauce in half, then peel it and dice it as finely as you can.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C or 430°F.
- Heat a third (1 tablespoon) of the butter for the sauce over a low heat in a 15cm or 6" saucepan and when it has melted add the shallots and soften them gently, without adding colour for 5 minutes.
- When the onions have softened turn up the heat to medium high, pour in the marsala wine and boil it until it has reduced to around 50-60ml (3-4 tablespoons), this will take around 7 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and have a taste adding salt as required. Reduce the heat to very low and allow the sauce to simmer whilst you cook the quail.
- Transfer the quail to a shallow roasting tray, season it generously with coarse sea salt and place it in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. Check that the internal temperature 71°C or 160°F of the leg has reached then remove it from the oven and allow it to rest whilst you finish the sauce. If you want the bird to have a little more colour, give it a quick blast with a blow torch.
- Whisk the remaining cold butter into the hot sauce and when it has combined into a shiny sauce, cut the grapes in half, add them to the sauce, heat for 30-45 seconds, and serve.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 504Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 121mgSodium: 726mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 24g
Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.