During the 40 years that the Hebrews wandered in the Sinai Dessert, they subsisted mainly on quails and mannah. Mannah was said to be delicious and quails have always been considered one of the great treats of the culinary world. One can, however, imagine that after forty years those people were sick and tired of quail and mannah!

Today, with greater choice of comestibles available to us, quails are no longer the only bird available to us. Despite that, these small and delicate birds have never lost their popularity (the Emperor Augustus once prepared 27,000 such birds according to forty different recipes for a dinner party to which 600 guests were invited). In recent years, however, the quail has risen to greater heights of popularity and have adorned the tables of the best restaurants of Europe, Asia and the Americas. Unfortunately, even though wild quail have been readily available over the millennia in the dessert regions of North Africa and the Middle East, those have been available primarily to the Bedouin tribes inhabiting those regions. The few wild quails that did make their way to market found their ultimate fates not in homes but only in the restaurants of fine chefs. Happily, farmed quails are now making their way to market both in the Middle East (Israel seems to be leading the field in this gastronomic area) and in North America, and these are now making their way to local markets and becoming more accessible. The good news is that I have sampled the farmed quails that are now appearing and can vouch for the fact that they are of excellent quality.

Following are recipes for several quail-based dishes, several of which are quite simple to prepare and others of which more difficult. Those recipes noted with a single asterisk (*) are those that can be prepared with even the most basic knowledge of cookery; two asterisks indicate recipes that call for somewhat more complex ingredients or cooking methods, and those noted with three asterisks are dishes that call for a higher level of knowledge and probably a great deal of time.

Roast Quails with Cherry Sauce **
A recipe by Chef Shalom Kadosh

4 quails, about 300 gr each
2 cups dry red wine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 stick cinnamon
2 whole cloves
200 ml. chicken stock or veal stock
1 - 2 Tbsp. cherry liqueur
400 gr. red cherries, pitted
40 gr. butter
1 sweet apple, quartered
about 2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In stainless steel pot combine the wine, vinegar, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil, lower the flame and reduce liquids to about 1/4 their original quantity. Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves, add the chicken stock, cherry liqueur, and cherries. Cook over a medium flame until the cherries start to soften but do not lose their shape (about 10 minutes). Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add the butter, shake the pot gently but do not mix so that the butter will integrate itself into the sauce.

Season the quails with salt and pepper (if the quails have undergone koshering, do not salt) and into the cavity of each bird place one of the apple quarters. Tie with cooking thread.

In a heavy skillet heat the olive oil and in this brown the quails on all sides. Transfer the quails to a baking pan and place in an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, from time to time basting with the fat that has dripped to the bottom of the pan. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the thigh of one of the birds. When the juices run clear, the birds are ready.

To serve place a single bird on each of four serving plates and over the birds spoon the cherry sauce.
Ideal served with cooked haricot or Thai green beans. (Serves 4).

Grilled Quails *
A Egyptian dish, especially popular in Cairo

2 large onions, chopped
1 cup each orange juice and red wine vinegar
1 cup each lemon juice and chicken stock
1 cup coriander, chopped
black pepper to taste
16 - 20 quails, cleaned and halved (can substitute young pigeons)
fresh chervil or parsley, very finely chopped,
lemon quarters for serving

Mix together the onion, orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice, chicken stock, coriander and black pepper to taste and pour this mixture over the quail halves, tossing gently. Marinate, refrigerated for 18 - 24 hours, turning the quail halves occasionally.

Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before ready to cook and place the birds on an oiled grill over glowing charcoals. Cook until the birds are done (about 8 minutes per side), basting often with the reserved marinade. Just before serving, sprinkle the birds with the chervil or parsley. Serve hot, ideally with buttered fettuccini. (Serves 6 - 8).

Grilled Quails in the Portugese Style *
A dish known in Lisbon as Cordoniz

4 quail, dressed and split lengthwise
2 bay leaves, crushed
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. marjoram
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and black pepper to taste
olive oil as required
lemon wedges for garnish

With a wooden mallet flatten each quail and place the halves in a large bowl. Sprinkle over with the herbs and spices and then with the olive oil. Cover and let marinate 3 - 4 hours, turning occasionally.

Place the quail under a hot pre-heated broiler or over hot charcoals on a rack and grill, basting with oil, until both sides are golden brown and the meat is done to taste. Serve hot with lemon wedges for garnish. Serves 4.

Roast Quails in Bacon **
A Lebanese recipe from the days when Beirut was considered "the Paris of the Middle-East"

8 grape leaves
8 quails, trussed
1/2 cup chicken fat
salt and thyme to taste
16 thin slices bacon
about 2 cups beef or poultry stock
2 Tbsp. dry white wine

Put the vine leaves in a large amount of lightly salted water. Slowly bring to a boil and let boil gently for 2 - 3 minutes. Quickly plunge the leaves into cold water and then let the water drip off. Lay the leaves flat on a board, outer side down.

Rub the quails well with the fat and then sprinkle with salt and thyme. Over each quail lay a grape leaf and then around each breast wrap two slices of the bacon. Tie in place with kitchen string and place in an ovenproof casserole.

To the casserole add the remaining chicken fat, the stock and the wine and bake, uncovered, in a medium oven for 30 minutes adding additional stock if necessary to keep the pan from becoming dry. To serve remove the string and pour over the pan juices. Serve hot. (Serves 4).

Roast Smoked Quails on Salt ***
A recipe by Chef Ofer Gal

8 quails
olive oil as required
1 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
375 ml. balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp. honey
2 kilo Jerusalem artichokes, peeled
head of fresh garlic, separated into individual cloves, each peeled
1 small bunch of thyme, chopped
pinch of sugar
1 kilo tomatoes, peeled, quartered and seeded
coarse salt as required
salt, and freshly ground white pepper

Salt the quails, using about 10 gr. of coarse salt to each kilo of quail (if the quails have been koshered, do not salt). Let stand, covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Rub the quails very generously with olive oil and let stand in the refrigerator another 24 hours. Brush the quails with half of the balsamic vinegar and half of the honey. Chop one sprig of the rosemary and distribute this in the cavities of the birds. Let stand again in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Using a cold smoking device, smoke the birds for 1 hour. Remove the birds from the smoker and tie them for roasting in the oven.

Place the Jerusalem artichokes in an aluminum baking tin, over them spread chopped thyme and the garlic. Season to taste with salt and white pepper and a pinch of sugar and bake in an oven that has been preheated to 110 degrees Celsius until soft (about 2 hours).

Place the tomato quarters on a baking pan and bake for 5 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius. Season with salt, pepper and chopped thyme.

Combine the remaining balsamic vinegar and honey in a small saucepan and heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture is reduced to a thick sauce.

Sprinkle the quails generously with coarse salt and roast for about 15 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 200 degrees Celsius.

When the quails are cooked to the degree desired, untie them and cut them in half lengthwise with cooking scissors. Place two halves on a plate. On the plates distribute the tomato wedges and on these pile the Jerusalem artichokes. Brush the quails with the sauce and serve at once. (Serves 8).

Quail Salad with Reduced Balsamic Sauce **
A recipe by Chef-Caterer Vincent Mustar

3 quails, cleaned and halved
150 gr. shallots, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil

For the marinade:
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. rosemary, chopped
1 Tbsp. thyme,
1/2 cup celery leaves, chopped
1 head of garlic, halved
1 carrot, peeled and cut coarsely
5 allspice berries
3 bay leaves

For the salad:
Several kinds of young curly lettuces (butter lettuce, endive, etc)
Arugula (Roquette)
Watercress
Endive

Mix the marinade ingredients and in this marinate the quails overnight.

Remove the quails from the marinade and saute the halves lightly in skillet without oil. Remove the quail halves from the skillet, add the oil to the skillet and in this saute the shallots and the garlic until the shallots become translucent, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the balsamic vinegar to the skilllet, heat through and then return the quails to the skillet. Cook over a medium heat until the sauce is reduced and has become as thick as a syrup.

Toss together the greens for the salad and arrange the salad on flat serving plates. On the salad lay one or two quail halves and spoon over 1 or 2 Tbsp. of the hot sauce. (Serves 6).

© Daniel Rogov