As
regular readers, you know that I enjoy making traditional dishes, whether they
be Italian, French, Indian, Moroccan, or - honestly - from anywhere. I thrive
on the diversity of our planet’s cultures, and how food plays a part in our lives.
When
looking at a dish like today's, one might think it is a toney dish. Fancy.
Elite. Heck, it calls for quail. They're special, right? Their wild game!
But, the
fact is, it is rustic food. Country food. The cuisine of the poor. The quail
probably resided in their back woods. They were most likely free for the effort
of hunting (and full of birdshot).
Isn't it
funny how something that was considered peasant food has become gourmet and
upper end?
Did you
know that lobster was similarly low-end? Not anymore, my friends. It's the same
with quail. These little things, now farm-raised and not-so-wild, are pricey - especially for
the amount of meat you get… or rather don't get.
I made
the recipe using old traditional ingredients and methods and, yes, I made it
with quail. It is based on a recipe on Provence, The Beautiful Cookbook.
Would I
make it again? Sure, but for cost (and taste, to be frank), I would probably
use chicken thighs.
Overall,
this dish is similar to a paella: a rice dish with bits of meat and vegetables
added to give flavor, texture, as visual interest. The little bit is sauce on
top could be increased but it seemed just right as is.
It was
fun pairing it with both a 2013 and 2014 ros
é from the same producer. You
can read about that on the
Provence WineZine.
Bon appétit!
~ David
Cailles
aux Riz à la
Provençale
4
tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large
onion, halved and sliced
3 small
carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 stalks
celery, cut into matchsticks
1 1/2
cups long grain rice
1
teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/4
teaspoon lavender buds, crushed
large
pinch salt
3 fresh
bay leaves, or 1 dried bay leaf
3 1/2
cups chicken broth, simmering
8
semi-boneless quail, washed and patted dry
salt and
freshly ground pepper
1 cup
white wine
1 cup
crushed tomatoes
Heat 1
tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet or paella pan over medium-low
heat. Slowly cook the onion, carrot, and celery for 10 minutes, until soft but
not brown.
Turn the
heat to medium-high. Add the rice, herbes de Provence, lavender, salt, and bay
leaves and cook for 5 minutes, when rice has turned white and chalky looking.
Add the
simmering broth, and cover, reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Heat the
remaining oil in a large skillet and brown the quail on both side, starting
with the breast side - about 3 minutes per side. Set aside pan with drippings.
Open the
pan with the rice and add the quail, feet facing inward and breast side up. Re-cover
and continue to simmer for the remainder of the 30 minutes.
Just
before serving, heat the skillet with the quail drippings and deglaze the pan
with the white wine. When reduced by half, add the tomatoes and simmer till
reduced a bit. Keep warm until it is time to serve. Drizzle the sauce over the
quail and rice.
Bring pan
with the quail to the table, remove the cover, and serve.
Serves 4.
Labels: cailles aux riz, herbes de provence, lavender, provençal, quail, rice
