Griddled Quail and Polenta with Herbs

Cut the breast leg and wing off the side of the quails with a sharp pairing knife. Put in a dish, cover with some stalks of rosemary and thyme and barely cover with white wine  Picture  . Add some black pepper but not salt, cover with some foil and put in the fridge preferably over night.

Early following morning make polenta according to packet instructions but using chicken stock. Season with salt and grated parmesan. Pour into a shallow dish around 1cm deep and allow to cool. When ready cut into some triangular pieces, paint with some olive oil and put to one side.

Take the quail pieces out of the marinade, dry with some kitchen paper, paint with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper  Picture  . Drain the marinade through a sieve into a small saucepan discarding he herbs. Reduce the marinade by about 30% over a medium heat and put to one side.

Cut the streaky bacon into lardons, put a smear of olive oil into a pan add the lardons and cook over a medium heat until golden brown. When ready add to the reduced marinade. Pull the leaves off the parsley and chop to deliver a couple of tablespoonfuls or so.

Lightly paint a griddle with olive oil and put over a medium heat. When ready add the quail pieces and the polenta pieces and cook about 5 minutes per side until the quail is nicely brown. Take off the quail and keep warm continue with the polenta until nicely coloured. Re-heat the marinade/bacon mixture.

Put one or two pieces of grilled polenta on to serving dishes, put quail pieces on top, spoon over the marinade/bacon mixture, sprinkle over some of the chopped parsley and serve  Zoom  .