21's Quail Salad

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries, crushed
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 dried small chilies (each about 1 inch long) or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 8 quail (try boneless)
• 3 tablespoons tarragon wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 navel oranges, peel and pith cut away and sections cut free from membranes
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1/2 cup pepitas, toasted lightly (hulled green pumpkin seeds)
• 2 cups packed mesclun, washed and spun dry (mixed baby greens)

Recipe

• 1 preparation.
• 2 make marinade:.
• 3 in a bowl or baking dish stir together marinade ingredients until combined.
• 4 add quail, turning to coat. marinate quail, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• 5 make dressing:.
• 6 in a bowl whisk together vinegar and mustard and add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. add orange sections, mango, and pepitas. chill dressing, covered, about 3 hours to blend flavors.
• 7 prepare grill.
• 8 grill quail in batches on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 5 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear when fleshy part of a thigh is pierced. (alternatively, cook quail in batches in a cast-iron skillet over moderate heat, turning frequently to avoid burning, about 10 minutes.) let quail stand 3 minutes.
• 9 toss mesclun with dressing and divide among 4 plates. top each salad with 2 quail.