STUFFED QUAIL WITH SPICY COUSCOUS

 

French cuisine has different accents! This recipe will surprise you by its spicy and sweet notes!

Serve with a white wine from Luberon (Provence region) such as Chateau St-Pierre de Mejans.

 

4 Servings

4 quail

1 package of original couscous (10 oz)

1 lb of lima beans

2 big leeks

8 dates cut into small pieces (you can replace the dates by plums of figs)

1 3/8oz of golden raisins

1 oz of pine nuts

½ tsp of cinnamon

½ tsp of harissa

3 sprigs of mint, leaves chopped

2 tbsp of olive oil

3 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper

 

Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan for a few minutes, until they turn golden brown.

Season the quail with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, mix 4 tbsp of uncooked couscous with the toasted pine nuts, the dates, raisins, olive oil, harissa, cinnamon, chopped mint. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff the quail with the preparation.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Wash thoroughly the leeks. Discard the green part and cut them in half.  Bring some salted water to a boil in a big stockpot and cook the leeks for 1 minute. Strain and run some cold water on them. Absorb the water, using some paper towel. Take 2 to 3 long pieces of leek and put them around each quail, attaching each end with some toothpicks.

Sprinkle some olive oil in a baking dish, add the 4 stuffed quail. Place ½ a tbsp of butter on top of each quail and another tbsp in the baking dish. Cook for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Baste regularly.

Cook the lima beans and couscous.

Serve the quail over couscous and lima beans, add some juice and decorate with mint leaves.