Everyone loves it – who says CHOCOLATE can’t be apart of a main dish at dinner time or lunch?
(serves 4)
Ingredients
1 tbsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin seeds
5 allspice berries
3 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. benne seeds
1 large clove garlic
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup canola or other neutral oil
¼ cup orange juice
4 quail, semi-boneless
2 to 4 large peanuts
Chocolate Gravy
4 tbsp. cocoa powder
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1¼ cups whole milk
2½ tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
¹⁄³ tsp. cayenne
2 tbsp. butter
Preparation
Toast coriander, cumin seeds, and allspice berries in a sauté pan until fragrant. Cool two or three minutes, then grind in a spice grinder until powdery. Place ground spices in a small mixing bowl and add paprika and benne seeds. Mix well.
Chop garlic, sprinkle with salt, and mash into a paste using the side of a knife. Add garlic, canola oil, and orange juice to the spices and mix thoroughly.
Snip wing tips off quail. Pour rub over quail, turning to coat.
Marinate at least one hour but no longer than six hours.
Prepare a medium-hot grill and cook each bird for seven to nine minutes, turning once, until medium-rare.
Gravy preparation
Combine first six ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium until thickened, whisking often to reduce lumps. Remove from heat and stir in butter. (The sauce can be reserved while the quail cooks. Just loosen with a few tablespoons of water as you reheat it.)
To serve, pool a bit of gravy on a plate, top with a quail, drizzle with chocolate gravy, and then, using a micro plane, shave peanuts over each bird.
We hope you and your families have a Happy Easter, don’t eat too much chocolate! – From the team at John Cester’s Poultry & Game.