Stuffed quail on truffle puree with pomegranate and chanterelle salad

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 quail(s), gutted, boned
• 2 tsp oil for the mold
• 200 g chestnuts, ready to cook, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• possibly mushrooms, dried, soaked, finely diced
• Water for soaking
• some thyme stalks
• 3 apricots, dried, finely diced
• some butter
• 1 pinch(s) of Allspice d’Espelette or cayenne pepper
• 2 dashes lemon juice
• possibly garlic
• 2 tbsp sour cream for the sauce
• some thyme sprigs for the sauce
• possibly sherry
• 250 g salad mix
• 1 persimmon, sliced
• 1 handful of chanterelles, frozen, thawed, well drained
• 1 tbsp parsley, frozen
• ½ pomegranate, the seeds removed
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp walnut oil
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• salt and pepper
• Pomegranate juice
• 3 potatoes, boiled
• ¼ celery root, peeled, cooked
• 40 g truffle butter
• salt and pepper
• small bunch of fresh herbs of your choice
• possibly pomegranate juice

Instructions

Working time approx. 3 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 3 hours 20 minutes

stress-free main course for a glamorous 3-course dinner

Prepare the quails the day before at the latest. I prepared the quails in the run-up to Christmas and then froze them, so all I had to do was take them out of the freezer on the 31st. Sew the quails together with star thread, leaving a 5 cm opening in the rear end. Prepare the stuffing. To do this, puree the chestnuts with 2 tablespoons of sour cream, mix in the mushrooms, apricots, and thyme leaves, and season with salt, garlic, lemon, and Espelette pepper. Place the stuffing, which should ideally have the consistency of liverwurst, into an upturned bag and cut open at the end. Hold the quail in one hand and use the other to inject the stuffing into the opening until the quail’s belly feels plump. Do this with all the quails, then sew them up. Place the finished quails in an oiled baking dish with the legs and belly facing up. Thaw the quails and cook in the oven at 180-200°C (top/bottom heat) for about 20 minutes. For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar and oil and season with pomegranate juice, salt, and pepper to taste. For the mashed potatoes and celery, make a mash and season with truffle butter, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. If desired, you can also use pomegranate juice to color the mash. Keep the mashed potatoes warm. Sauté the chanterelles in butter until crisp, season with salt and pepper, and add fresh parsley. Keep warm. The quails are done when they are well browned and no pink juices run when pierced in the thickest part. Remove the quails from the hot casserole dish. In the casserole dish, whisk to remove any remaining meat, add 2 tablespoons of sour cream and the thyme leaves, and season to taste. I also like to add a bit of sherry. Arrange on plates: Place a quail on the puree in the center, don’t forget the collars, and arrange the lettuce, persimmon, tomatoes, and chanterelles around it. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, sauce, and dressing. Appetizer: Seafood bouillabaisse with Pernod. Dessert: White chocolate basket with ice cream and wild berries.