Grilled Quail

The first time I ever had any sort of wild game was during my first visit to Greece in 1974 (do the math, I'm that old).

My Uncle Pavlo was a farmer and avid sportsman who would go on hunting trips. His usual catch would be wild hare, partridge, pheasant and quail.

A few things about offering up quail...it's probably best to offer them as part of an array of grilled meats. They are little birds, lots of bone, little meat. If offering up as an entree, I'd suggest three per person.

Quail should be eaten with your hands so you probably don't want to serve these up for a formal dinner. Imagine your boss fumbling with quail in their hands?

Either way, quail are delicious and very easy to grill. My preference is to halve them and then pass skewers through the breast and leg portion of the half. This keeps them in tact during grilling and it makes for a nice presentation when serving, rather than a floppy piece of grilled birdie.

The main inspiration came from a book called "Game & Fish Cuisine", written by a Greek-Canadian named George Politis.

I've taken his quail marinade and adding my own little "stamp", if you will. On of the detours I take is to use all the leftover marinading liquid and reduce it with the addition of Petimezi. Petimezi is essentialy a grape molasses and you can read about it here.

If you're the type that likes their savory to be savory then skip the Petimezi step but if you're like myself and you enjoy the combo of sweet with savory, give this recipe a try..right down to brushing the Petimezi glaze on the quail.

Petimezi was used in ancient times as a sweetener and to this day, Greeks use it for making several traditional Greek desserts.

Petimezi is a welcome addition to my Greek pantry.
Grilled Quail With a Petimezi Glaze

6 quail, halved
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 large clove of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbsp. Metaxa brandy
3 crushed bay leaves
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 -3 Tbsp. of Petimezi
wooden skewers, soaked in water

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients (except for the Petimezi and quail) and whisk to emulsify. Taste and adjust for seasoning an set aside.
2. Using a butcher's knife or kitchen scissors, cut the quail carcasses in half and ensure no organ meat is still attached on the insides, cut on the neck and rinse in water and then pat dry.
3. Add your quail halves to the marinade place in the fridge for alt least 4 hours or overnight.
4. Bring your quail back to room temperature before grilling. Using your soaked wooden skewers, pass the the stick from the leg, right through the entire breast. This will keep the half firm and secure while grilling.
5. Pour your remaining marinading liquid into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and simmer for 2-3 more minutes. Add as much or as little Petimezi as you wish (depending on how sweet you would like your glaze). Take off the heat and keep warm.
   
6. Season lightly with salt and pepper and grill (skin side down first) for 5 minutes and then turn and grill on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Brush the glaze onto your quail and serve immediately as part of a mixed grill, appetizer or as a main.
   

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