QUAIL

by Ed Halmagyi

Instructions

Chefs love cooking game meats. It makes a welcome change from the routine of lamb, beef, veal, pork and chicken. The problem is, our customers are not so accustomed to eating some of the wilder breeds like venison, partridge, hare and guinea fowl. Having worked overseas I can assure you that this is a very Australian thing.

Game cuts have strong flavours and robust textures, but I don’t think this is what puts Aussies off. Actually, I think we have developed overly delicate sensitivities about the meat we consume. Many of us think of our supermarket meat as being somehow more clean as it comes in styrofoam packets with absorbent pads to hide any unsightly blood. We imagine game meats, however, as trudging through a forest, eating any dirty old food, until the crack of a hunter’s rifle brings their sullied life to a rapid conclusion.

Well, let me assure you this is fiction. While you might just occasionally come across genuinely ‘wild’ meats, mostly these beasts are farmed. Game farms are run in the same manner as conventional beef or lamb breeders, and are subject to the same health and safety requirements.

A great starting point for appreciating game is quail.

Quail are a member of the pheasant family. They have a mild flavour and a moist texture, although like most poultry they will dry out if overcooked. Many people overlook quail due to their fine bones. However, if you choose jumbo quail and ask your local butcher to butterfly them, this will remove most of the bone structure making quail far more user friendly.

Being a small bird quail cook quickly, meaning they are well suited to barbecues and grills. Quail can also be substituted into your favourite Thai or Indian curry for a mild game flavour that’s just a little different. Due to their size quail are also great for canapés: cut them into quarters then marinade and grill, and serve with a spicy dipping sauce.

I first discovered quail when I was 11 at my French aunt Jeanette’s Christmas party. We arrived at her house in the middle of the afternoon to be greeted by a storm of delicious aromas, promising an enviable meal ahead. Of all the memorable flavours that day, one stands out. My first quail.

I don’t know whether it was the expert touch with which Jeanette had wrapped them in ham and barbecued them, or the fact that my uncle Bailey had raised and slaughtered the birds himself that struck the loudest chord. But I was fascinated and remain a quail addict to this day.
Quail in pancetta and sage with celeriac salad