Quail with Risotto and Eggplant

Ingredients

• 800 g quail (4 quails)
• 4 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 1 Shallot
• 200 g risotto rice
• 2 tbsp butter
• 0.125 l dry white wine
• 0.5 l chicken broth
• 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp chopped herbs (parsley, chervil)
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 eggplant
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100 g sun‑dried cocktail tomatoes (in oil)
• 500 g mixed young vegetables (e.g., bundle carrots, navettes, green asparagus, spring onions, green beans, sugar snap peas)
• 3 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 125 ml white wine
• 200 ml heavy cream

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C with fan and top heat.

2. 2.

   Wash and dry the quails. Melt some butter and spread half of it inside each bird. Season with salt and pepper, place a half sprig of thyme and rosemary in each cavity, tie the feet together with kitchen twine. Place the birds in a roasting pan, brush with remaining butter, season again, and roast for about 35 minutes until golden brown, basting occasionally with fat.

3. 3.

   For the risotto, peel and finely chop the shallot, sauté in hot butter, add rice, stir, deglaze with wine, then gradually add broth while stirring. Keep the heat low and stir constantly for about 20 minutes until creamy but not liquid. Fold in parmesan and herbs, season with salt and pepper. Slice the eggplant into rounds, sear both sides in hot olive oil, season, and set aside warm.

4. 4.

   Blanch the vegetables in boiling salted water until just tender, shock in ice water, drain.

5. 5.

   Remove the cooked quails from the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with wine, strain through a fine sieve into a saucepan, bring to boil, add cream, reduce by half, season with salt and pepper.

6. 6.

   Slice the quails for serving, cutting the breast at an angle.

7. 7.

   Sauté the vegetables in hot butter, season with salt and pepper.

8. 8.

   Place the risotto on warmed plates using a metal ring (10–12 cm diameter), top with eggplant slices and some drained tomatoes. Arrange the sliced quails over the risotto, scatter the remaining vegetables around, drizzle with sauce, and serve.