Greek Braised Quail
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
625 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Appetizer, Lunch
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Cuisine
Greek
Greek Braised Quail
Description
The dish begins by preparing quail with the backbone removed to reduce fiddly bone fragments. The birds are browned in olive oil and then braised in a mixture of white wine, water, celery, onion, garlic, oregano, and lemon zest and juice. The slow cooking at moderate oven temperature breaks down connective tissue, tenderizing the quail while infusing them with aromatic flavors.
After about an hour of braising, marinated artichoke hearts, black olives, and optional capers are added for a combination of tartness and saltiness that balances the citrus notes. The melding of these Mediterranean ingredients produces a multifaceted dish with tender meat and a flavorful broth.
This braise suits quail well; substitutions like pheasant, grouse, or partridge require longer cooking times up to two hours. The recipe advises adding delicate ingredients like olives and artichokes later in cooking when using those tougher game birds to prevent disintegration.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 to 8 quail (see headnotes above for substitutions)
- salt
- 3 talks celery chopped
- 1 onion sliced thin, large, yellow
- 1 head garlic cloves peeled but whole
- 2 teaspoons oregano dried
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 lemon zest and juice
- 12 ounces artichoke hearts marinated
- 12 ounces black olives pitted
- 1 tablespoon capers (optional)
- 3 tablespoons parsley chopped, fresh
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut out the backbones of the quail. If you want to get fancy, remove the ribs as well. I do this so there's less fiddly stuff in the braise when you eat. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded pot like a Dutch oven. Salt the quail well and brown them in the oil, removing them to a bowl as they brown. It's OK if not every bit of the quail are browned, but you want some on both sides.
- Add the onion and celery and sauté until translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic cloves, the quail back into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, the oregano and the wine. Mix well and let the wine boil for a minute or three.
- Just barely cover the quails with water, bring it to a simmer and add salt to taste. Add the lemon zest, cover the pot and put it in the oven for 1 hour.
- Take the pot out of the oven and add the artichoke hearts, black olives and capers, if using. If the quail are not yet tender, which might be the case with wild birds, cover the pot and return to the oven until they are. This shouldn't be more than another 30 minutes or so.
- Once the quail are tender, add in the parsley, lemon juice and black pepper. Serve with bread, rice or potatoes.
Notes
- Wild quail may need up to 90 minutes braising to become tender; pheasant, grouse, or partridge can require up to 2 hours.
- If using tougher game birds, add olives and artichokes toward the end of cooking to keep their texture.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 625 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 625kcal | 31% |
| Carbohydrates | 16g | 5% |
| Protein | 24g | 48% |
| Fat | 48g | 74% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6g | 35% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 24g | 120% |
| Cholesterol | 83mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 1791mg | 75% |
| Potassium | 490mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 1858IU | 37% |
| Vitamin C | 34mg | 38% |
| Calcium | 133mg | 13% |
| Iron | 6mg | 33% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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