Blackened grapes with pancetta quails

Prep
1h
Cook
15m
serves
8
Blackened grapes with pancetta quails
Blackened grapes with pancetta quails
Blackened grapes with pancetta quails
Marinating the quails in dessert wine for this recipe was such a revelation that it nearly sent our test kitchen into meltdown. Try it and see for yourself.

Ingredients (9)

  • 8 quails
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 10 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra thyme tips to serve
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 2 tbs dessert wine
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) white wine
  • 24 thin slices flat pancetta (substitute streaky bacon)
  • 500g red grapes, cut into clusters
  • 2 tbs balsamic vinegar

Don't forget you can add these ingredients to your Woolworths shopping list.

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Method

  • 1.
    Using kitchen scissors, remove backbone from quails. With a sharp knife, remove the breast bone, without cutting through breast. Gently pull out ribs and wishbone, leaving leg and wing bones intact. Transfer quails to a large zip-lock bag with garlic, oil, thyme, wines and 1 tsp each salt flakes and ground black pepper. Seal, massage until combined and chill for 1 hour.
  • 2.
    Lay 3 pancetta slices slightly overlapping on a chopping board and place 1 quail, breast-side down, on top. Roll up to wrap quail in pancetta. Transfer to a tray and repeat with remaining pancetta and quail.
  • 3.
    Heat a charcoal barbecue to mediumlow heat (alternatively, use a gas barbecue or chargrill pan). Grill quail, breast-side down, for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Turn and grill, covered, for a further 6 minutes or until just cooked through. Transfer to a tray, cover and rest for 5 minutes.
  • 4.
    Meanwhile, heat a frypan over high heat. Add grapes and cook for 1-2 minutes each side or until blackened. Remove from heat and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt flakes.
  • 5.
    Arrange quails on a serving platter and scatter with grapes and extra thyme tips. Drizzle with extra oil to serve.
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