Griddled Quails with King Oyster Mushrooms and Cannellini Beans

Make stock but use the quail carcases after spatchcocking and other poultry pieces not beef  Recipe  .

Spatchcock the quail by placing them breast side down and use poultry scissors to snipout the backbones. Use a sharp pointed knife then to carefully tease out the rib cages and other small bones  Picture  .

Chop the fresh thyme to deliver a couple of tablespoonfuls. Paint the spatchcocked quail with olive oil, season well with salt and black pepper and chopped thyme.

Trim and clean (if necessary) the mushrooms, cut into thinnish slices lengthwise  Picture  , quickly soften in some butter, season with a little cayenne and black pepper and put to one side.

Wash the cannellini beans in a sieve under the cold tap, warm through with butter and a little water. Season with salt and black pepper and put to one side.

Add a small glass of wine to the stock, thicken with a one tablespoonful of flour/butter beurre manie, season with salt and black pepper and put to one side.

Put a griddle over a medium heat, put on the quail pieces skin side down and cook for about four minutes, turn and cook for a further three minutes. Meanwhile rewarm the mushrooms, beans and gravy. Put the beans on to serving plates, add the mushrooms followed by the griddled quail, pour round a little gravy and serve  Zoom  .