Stella Pereira has you covered this Christmas with her recipes for Roast Quail and two different chocolatey desserts
Roast Quail with Chestnut, Sage and Cornbread Stuffing, Braised Chicory, Pan-Scorched Pears and Roots
Ingredients
For the roast Quail
• 4 quail
• 4 pancetta strips
• 4 sage leaves
• 2 red onion, sliced
For the Brine
• 1l filtered water
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 50g sea salt
• 40g brown sugar
• 3 bay leaves
• 1tsp black peppercorns
• 8 sage leaves
For the marinade
• 50ml oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the stuffing
• 200g chestnuts, cooked, peeled and roughly chopped
• 8 sage leaves, finely chopped
• 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 100g cornbread, crumbled
• 100ml chicken stock
• 15ml olive oil
• 15g butter
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Scorched Pears
• 3 firm pears, quartered
• 10ml olive oil
• 15ml butter
For the Braised Chicory
• 4-5 chicory, halved
• 10ml olive oil
• 30g butter
• 100ml vegetable stock
• splash of white wine
• 4 pancetta strips
For the Roots
• 1 bunch baby carrots, washed and scraped
• 30ml olive oil
• orange zest
• Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Step by step:
1. Place brine ingredients in a medium-sized pan and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and set aside until it has cooled completely. Next, gently arrange the quail in the pan, add more water if necessary, and weigh down with a plate to completely submerge the quail. Refrigerate overnight.
2. To make the stuffing, add olive oil and butter to a medium-sized pan over gentle heat. Add garlic, shallot and sage. Cook gently until soft. Add chestnuts and continue to stir, break any big chunks. Add chicken stock and cornbread. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool. The stuffing can be prepared a day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
3. On the following day, remove quail from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Gently lift the flap of skin around the neck and stuff with chestnut stuffing. Coat with marinade, gently place one sage leaf on each breast side and wrap with a strip of pancetta, set aside in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 200°C fan oven (220°C conventional oven, gas mark 7). Line the bottom of a roasting tin with red onion and arrange quail over the onion. Add a few extra pancetta strips to the roasting tin to sprinkle over braised chicory later. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, baste as often as possible. Remove quail and set aside to rest for ten minutes.
4. For the scorched pears, place a cast iron pan on medium to high heat. Add olive oil and butter. Arrange the pears with the cut side down. Do not swirl or move the pears until they have scorched on one side. Turn skin side up, remove from heat and allow to sit in hot cast iron pan to gently cook.
5. In a medium-sized pan, blanch the carrots and orange zest in salt water up to five minutes. Transfer carrots to a baking sheet and coat with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Roast for ten minutes at 200°C fan (220°C conventional oven, gas mark 7).
6. For the braised chicory, heat olive oil and butter in a cast iron pan. Place cut side down and allow to caramelise slightly until golden brown. Add a splash of white wine and vegetable stock. Swirl pan gently and allow to cook on low for five minutes. Pour over quail and serve immediately with a sprinkling of crispy pancetta.
Chocolate and Port Pots de Crème
Ingredients
• 200g chocolate (80%), finely shaved
• 80g double cream
• 120g port
• 4 egg yolks, 2 egg whites
• 60g brown sugar
Step by step:
1. Place the shaved chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
2. Add cream, sugar and port to a medium-sized pan over low heat. Allow to simmer gently. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, add a stream of the steamy cream mixture. Return to the pan and cook on low heat until it begins to coat the back of the spoon. Pour the custard mixture over the shaved chocolate and whisk for two to three minutes.
3. Place egg whites in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture. Pour into coffee cups or Port chalices. Serve chilled.
Chocolate and Stem Gingerbread Houses
Ingredients
• 180g plain flour, sieved
• 60g cocoa
• 80g brown sugar
• 60g butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 10g stem ginger, freshly grated
• ½tsp cinnamon
• ½tsp baking powder
• royal icing to decorate
Step by step:
1. Mix flour, cinnamon and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg and ginger, continue to mix gently. Add cocoa, a spoon at a time. When well incorporated add flour mixture.
3. Remove dough from mixer, cover with parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To roll thinly, sandwich dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Roll as thinly as possible, cut using cookie cutters or a sharp knife for houses.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C fan (180°C conventional, gas mark 4) for eight to ten minutes. Allow to cool on a rack, decorate with royal icing.
Words and images by Stella Pereira
Stella Pereira is a cook, cake designer and artist, originally from Portugal and now living in Cambridge.
Visit her website at www.littlecakepot.com
