Name: Quail ballotine with freekeh, cranberries and goat’s cheese
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 85 min
Total time: 145 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 quail, butterflied, wings and thigh bones removed; 24 thin slices flat mild pancetta; 60 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 1 celery stalk, finely chopped; 1 leek (white part only), finely chopped; ½ carrot, finely chopped; 1 golden shallot, finely chopped; 4 thyme sprigs; 750 ml hot chicken stock (3 cups); 200 gm cracked freekeh; ½ Granny Smith apple, finely chopped; 40 gm dried cranberries; Finely grated rind of 1 lemon; 1 preserved lemon, flesh discarded, rind rinsed and finely chopped; 2 tbsp finely chopped chives and flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve; 40 ml olive oil; 100 gm soft goat’s cheese; Chicken mousse; 20 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 3 golden shallots, finely chopped; ½ garlic clove, finely chopped; 100 gm skinless chicken breast, coarsely chopped; ½ egg, lightly beaten; 100 ml pouring cream; 10 gm mixed dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained, finely chopped

“I’d love to attempt the quail ballotine from Brisbane’s Stokehouse. Will you oblige?”

Peter Maher, via email

To request a recipe, write to Fare Exchange, , GPO Box 4088, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email us. All requests should include the restaurant’s name and address or business card, as well as your name and address.

At Stokehouse Brisbane this dish is served with a goat’s cheese foam.

Ingredients

4 quail, butterflied, wings and thigh bones removed

24 thin slices flat mild pancetta

60 gm butter, coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 leek (white part only), finely chopped

½ carrot, finely chopped

1 golden shallot, finely chopped

4 thyme sprigs

750 ml hot chicken stock (3 cups)

200 gm cracked freekeh

½ Granny Smith apple, finely chopped

40 gm dried cranberries

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 preserved lemon, flesh discarded, rind rinsed and finely chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped chives and flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve

40 ml olive oil

100 gm soft goat’s cheese

Chicken mousse

20 gm butter, coarsely chopped

3 golden shallots, finely chopped

½ garlic clove, finely chopped

100 gm skinless chicken breast, coarsely chopped

½ egg, lightly beaten

100 ml pouring cream

10 gm mixed dried mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained, finely chopped

Method

Main

1.For chicken mousse, heat butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add shallot and garlic, stir occasionally until tender (5-6 minutes) then set aside to cool. Process chicken and egg in a food processor until smooth (1-2 minutes), then slowly add cream and process until combined. Transfer to a large bowl with shallot mixture, stir in mushroom and season to taste. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm round nozzle and refrigerate until required.

2.Place each quail between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a rolling pin to an even thickness. Place 6 pancetta slices on a sheet of plastic wrap, slightly overlapping longest sides. Place a quail skin-side down lengthways across pancetta, pipe chicken mousse along centre of quail, season to taste and use plastic wrap to carefully roll into a cylinder (starting with pancetta ends and rolling away from you). Tie ends to secure. Repeat with remaining pancetta, quail and chicken mousse. Wrap each ballotine tightly in foil to seal, then poach in a large saucepan of simmering water in 2 batches until just firm (weight with a plate to keep submerged; 16-18 minutes). Refresh and set aside.

3.Meanwhile, heat 40gm butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add celery, leek, carrot, shallot and thyme and stir occasionally until tender (6-8 minutes). Add stock and freekeh, bring to the simmer, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed (20 minutes). Spread on a large tray and set aside to cool. Heat remaining butter in a small frying pan over medium heat, add apple and stir occasionally until just tender (2-3 minutes), then set aside to cool. Just before serving, stir apple, cranberries, lemon rind, preserved lemon and herbs into freekeh mixture and season to taste.

4.Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, place a round of baking paper inside pan, add oil and cook ballotines, turning occasionally, until golden and warmed through (6-8 minutes), then thickly slice and serve with freekeh mixture, scattered with goat’s cheese and extra herbs.

This recipe is from the February 2013 issue of .
Notes

The Gourmet Traveller Team

Gourmet Traveller is Australia’s trusted authority on food, travel and luxury lifestyle, bringing the latest news and trends to life through quality journalism, enticing recipes and evocative photography. For more than 55 years, it has been inspiring and informing Australians with the best in cooking, dining, travelling and shopping. Our critics bring the expertise of years of critical eating, drinking and writing to the table. Plus, as the country’s leading title in the luxury sector, Gourmet Traveller works closely with Australia’s leaders in the travel and hospitality industries to give our readers exclusive access. The Gourmet Traveller legacy is one of trust, prestige and relevance.

Styling by Lucy Weight