Quail & Egg on creamed spinach
Easy, Moderate, Complex
Yield : 4 servings
Ingredients
- For the eggs:
- 4 eggs
- Flour for dredging
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs (125 ml)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Salt and pepper
- For the quail:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil (15 ml)
- 4 quails
- Salt and pepper
- For the herb garnish:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
- 1 tablespoon flat parsley, chopped (15 ml)
- 1 teaspoon basil leaves, chopped (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped (5 ml)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
- For the creamed spinach:
- 2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and tough stems removed (1 kg)
- 1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 ml)
- 2 tablespoons butter (30 ml)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper
Method
- For the eggs, cook them for about 5 minutes in boiling water for a soft boiled egg. Drain and cool the eggs in icy cold water then remove the shell.
- Put the flour in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the breadcrumbs in a separate bowl and the beaten eggs in a third bowl.
- Take the eggs and coat them in the flour mixture, the beaten eggs, then the breadcrumbs. Keep them in the refrigerator until ready to fry.
- For the quails, using a sharp knife slice straight down the breastbone to open the breast cavity. Remove the rib cage so you have a boneless breast attached to the bone-in legs and wings (if the breast breaks away from the legs, which can happen with such a small bird, cook each portion separately). Alternately, you can ask your butcher to de-bone the quails for you.
- For the herb garnish, mix the olive oil with the herbs and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Put aside.
- Preheat oven to 350˚ F (180˚ C).
- Season the quails with salt and pepper. In a large ovenproof saucepan, heat the canola oil on high heat and grill the quails in canola oil on all sides until brown. Finish cooking them in the oven for approximately 8 minutes. Keep the quails warm on a separate plate.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and cook for 15 seconds. Drain in a fine mesh strainer, pressing with a large spoon to release as much water as possible.
- In a small saucepan, heat the cream to a simmer and let it reduce by half, for about 10 minutes. Add the Dijon mustard and stir. Put aside.
- Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until the liquid is released. Add the reduced cream mixture, season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
- Using a deep fryer, heat the oil at 350°F (180 °C). Fry the eggs for about 1 minute or just until the crust is lightly brown.
- Plate each portion with creamed spinach topped with a quail and garnished with the herb mixture. Finish the plate with the fried egg cut in half.