When it comes to thinking about festive dishes, we do not always have to opt for the most expensive products on the market, such as the typical seafood.
Surely there are ingredients that we usually use little in our kitchen to which we can give a special touch, like these quail in tangerine and honey sauce.
Quail is a very lean meat ideal to serve as a second course in a copious menu, as it is a small and very attractive portion, presenting the whole piece. For the sauce I was inspired by a recipe by Sonia, with a sweet and citrus flavor that goes well with quail.
Wash and peel the tangerines. Remove all the white part of the skin that we can and chop in fine julienne. Put in a saucepan with a finger of water, boil and strain. Repeat the operation. Put the skins back in a saucepan with the honey and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add the broth, the wine and the juice of one of the tangerines. Add the onions, quartered, add a dash of pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Peel while the remaining mandarin segments. Add to the sauce. Melt the cornstarch in cold water and add to thicken.
Tie the quail legs, season with salt and pepper and cook them with a little olive oil in a skillet or grill, until golden brown on all sides. Serve with the hot sauce to taste.
With what to accompany the quail in sauce
The nice color of this quail dish in tangerine and honey sauce it is perfect for a festive dinner. Depending on the size of the portion that we want to serve, depending on how abundant the rest of the menu is, we can have 1 or 2 quail per person. If there is any sauce left over, I recommend saving it to accompany fish or even vegetables. A simple white rice, couscous or mashed potatoes will be a perfect garnish.
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