Deep Fried Quail with Cherry Gastrique

Local chef, Patrick Mulvaney, shares exciting and easy recipes using fresh cherries in this episode of Bringing It Home. Watch and learn as laura and Chef Mulvaney prepare four delicious cherry recipes. Interested in visiting his restaurant? You can see Chef Mulvaney at Mulvaney's B&L in Sacramento, CA.
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

​Two whole quail (you can substitute boneless chicken)
Corn starch for dusting
Oil for deep frying
1 Cup of pitted cherries chopped
1 Cup of sugar
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar

Couscous
2 cups couscous
2 cups chicken stock
Pinch saffron
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Put Cherries and sugar in sauté pan and heat until sugar begins to caramelize. 

2. Deglaze with vinegar, stir until everything dissolves and strain into a bowl. 

3. Season Quail with salt and pepper and dredge in corn starch, shake off extra and deep fry until crispy, about 5 minutes. 

4. Drain and toss in a bowl with just enough gastrique to lightly glaze your birds.

5. Make a nest of couscous and plate asparagus on plate as well, plate your quail on top. 

6. You can artfully drizzle a little extra gastrique around the outside of the plate. 

7. Serve with a napkin, your guests should use their hands and things can get sticky.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COUSCOUS:

1. Bring stock to boil, season with salt, pepper and saffron. 

2. Pour over saffron and cover container, let sit 3 minutes. 

3. Fluff with fork and serve underneath pork chop. 

4. And what better spring vegetable to serve on the plate than the Delta Asparagus, lightly steamed or grilled.