Roast Autumn Quail with Stuffed Tomatoes

[Recipes Index] [World of Chefs]

Ingredients:

• 2 vine-ripened tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh savory
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or lemon thyme
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and extra for brushing
• 2 quail
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 8 sprigs fresh savory
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced lengthwise
• 8 fresh mushrooms
• Fresh savory and thyme or lemon thyme for garnish

Preparation:

Slice off the top of each tomato, and hollow out part of the inside leaving half of the flesh and a firm upper shell. Dice the removed portions of the tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Add the savory, thyme, grated parmesan (reserving 2 teaspoons for sprinkling on top of the tomatoes after stuffing), bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl and mix well. Spoon the tomato and herb mixture back into the tomato shells, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of parmesan cheese on top of each stuffed tomato and then set them in a small baking pan or baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 425.

Rinse the quail inside and out in cold water and pat dry. Rub the inside and outside of the birds with olive oil. Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper, then place 4 savory sprigs in the cavity of each. Arrange the quail on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for approximately 25 minutes or until the flesh is cooked through to the thickest part and the skin is golden brown.

After the quail have been in the oven for 10 minutes, put the tomatoes in the oven. About 5 minutes later, brush the mushrooms and red pepper strips with the remaining olive oil and place them in the baking dish with the tomatoes. The vegetables should be tender, but not too soft, when the quail have finished cooking. Remove the vegetables from the oven. If the quail are cooked but not brown, place them under the broiler very briefly and watch at all times to make sure they don't over cook or burn. Arrange the quail and the vegetables on a serving platter and garnish with fresh thyme and savory.