If you like feathered game, try the quails with bacon, a unique second meat course, low in fat and very tasty!!! In this recipe, the quails are simply seared in the pan with garlic, rosemary, sage, and served with crispy bacon strips. Serve them with baked potatoes or mashed potatoes, delicious!!!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1Person
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 2 quails (already cleaned)
- 2.1 oz bacon (sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
- to taste rosemary
- to taste sage
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Paper towel
- Stainless steel pan
- Knife
- Tongs
- Wooden spoon
- Lid
Preparation
To prepare the quails with bacon…
Take the quails (usually the ones available are already quite clean). Pass them over the stove flame, burning any remaining feather residues, then use a paper towel or your hands to remove them. Remove any remaining innards, rinse them under cold water inside and out, and pat them dry with a paper towel.
After cleaning the quails, season them inside with salt, pepper, a few sprigs of rosemary, and a few sage leaves. Then tie the legs together with string.
Now, in a stainless steel pan or casserole, preferably non-stick, pour in the extra virgin olive oil and brown a whole peeled garlic clove. When it’s golden, remove it and place the quails in the pan, browning them for 5/10 minutes on high heat, turning them on all sides.
Once the quails are well browned, add the bacon slices cut into strips, a few sprigs of rosemary, a few sage leaves, salt, and pepper. Lower the heat and cover with a lid, moistening them halfway through cooking with a little water (or dry white wine or broth) if needed. Cook them for about 15 more minutes, turning them occasionally.
When they have softened and are cooked (the skin will start to peel away), remove the lid, let the water evaporate, and finish cooking on medium heat. Be careful not to burn the bacon; you can remove it from the pan and add it back in the last 1 or 2 minutes of cooking to keep it warm.
Serve the quails with bacon hot, drizzling with the cooking juices and with your preferred side.
