Broiled Quail with Roasted Vegetables

Quail is one of the most delicious birds you can possibly eat; it’s a versatile, delicious little bird. In this recipe, I broiled the quail and combined it with delicious roasted root vegetables. Absolutely superb!

I absolutely love quail; have I already said that? Well, I can’t repeat it enough. It’s definitely one of my favourite birds to eat. It may be small, but it definitely packs a lot of flavour. Because of this, I’ve been experimenting with a variety of ways to cook these delicious birds.

As I mentioned in my other quail recipes, the key to cooking these birds without drying them out is marinating or brining them beforehand. You need to soak them in a salty marinade or brine at least 5 hours before cooking and preferably overnight. Otherwise, the quail will dry out and that’ll ruin everything. So, a word to the wise: brine or marinate your quail.

Now, if like me, you live in a small apartment in a big city and you don’t have the space for a barbecue or grill, liquid smoke is a life saver. I only discovered this magnificent invention recently and it has changed my life! If you have a yard and a grill, then you can totally grill the quail in this recipe. However, if not, then the addition of a few drops of liquid smoke will provide that delicious smokiness everybody loves. It’s available on Amazon, and in some big supermarkets too. As usual, this recipe is for two people, so adjust quantities accordingly.

Ingredients

1. Six quails
2. A quarter cup of low-sodium light soy sauce
3. Two tablespoons honey
4. Juice of one lime or lemon
5. One teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
6. A quarter teaspoon each of chilli flakes, powdered ginger and garlic powder
7. Two tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
8. Half a butternut squash, peeled and cut into two-inch cubes
9. Two large carrots, chopped into half-inch thick slices
10. One large onion, divided into eight sections
11. Eight small sweet bell peppers
12. Two tablespoons maple syrup
13. Three or four tablespoons olive oil
14. For the vegetables: about one teaspoon each smoked paprika and garlic powder
15. Enough sea salt to generously sprinkle all over the vegetables.

Method

1. At least five hours beforehand, combine the soy sauce, honey, chilli flakes, garlic powder, lime juice, canola oil and liquid smoke (if using) in a large bowl.
2. Soak the quail in the marinade in the fridge for at least 5 hours, and up to overnight. Turn them over half-way through to allow them to soak thoroughly in the marinade.
3. An hour before cooking, take the birds out of the fridge and bring to room temperature. Place them in an oven-proof pan, pour half the marinade over them and cover loosely with foil.
4. Preheat your oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, arrange the chopped vegetables on the baking sheet.
6. Sprinkle with salt, smoked paprika and garlic powder.
7. Drizzle the olive oil onto the vegetables and mix them a few times to make sure the seasoning and oil cover the vegetables.
8. Drizzle a little maple syrup on top.
9. Place the quail and the vegetables in the oven and roast for 40 minutes.
10. After 40 minutes, remove the vegetables, then turn on the broiler at 430 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the foil and broil the quail for 5 minutes or until they are nicely browned on top. Serve immediately!

Do you like quail? How do you like to make it? Let me know in the comments!

For more quail recipes, check out:

1. Pan-fried Quail
2. Stuffed Quail

© 2019, L.E.. All rights reserved.