Braised Quail with Lentils, Apple and Leek
Slow‑cooked quail on lentils with apple and leek. Lentils and vegetables provide complex carbohydrates that are slowly broken down.
Ingredients
- 150 g brown mountain lentils
- 125 g large carrots (1 big carrot)
- 125 g large parsley root (2 big parsley roots)
- 150 g leeks (0.5 stalk)
- 8 sage leaves
- 800 g quail (pre‑cooked, 4 birds)
- Salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 500 ml poultry broth
- 1 large tart apple
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp Red wine vinegar
- Pepper
Instructions
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1.
Cook lentils in boiling water for 15‑20 minutes until al dente. Drain in a sieve, rinse with cold water and let them drain well.
-
2.
Wash, peel, trim carrots and parsley root, then cut into 5 mm pieces.
-
3.
Clean leeks, wash and cut into 1 cm pieces.
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4.
Rinse sage leaves and pat dry. Rinse quail under cold water and pat dry. Salt the inside and outside of each bird and place sage leaves in the cavity.
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5.
Tie the quail legs together with kitchen twine; secure the openings with toothpicks.
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6.
Heat oil in a roasting pan. Brown the quail all over on high heat until golden brown. Remove and sauté the vegetables in the same pan over medium heat until translucent.
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7.
Add tomato paste, stir and warm, then pour in poultry broth and mix well. Return quail to the pan and bake in a preheated oven at 175 °C (or 150 °C fan‑forced) on the second rack from the bottom for about 15 minutes.
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8.
Wash apple, quarter, trim, core and finely dice it.
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9.
Add lentils, diced apple, honey and both vinegars to the pan. Bake for another 20‑25 minutes. At the end of cooking season with salt and pepper. Serve with soft polenta.
