Caille à la Polente

Name: Caille à la Polente (Polenta with Quail Sauce)
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: salt & pepper; A little juice & 2 tbsp/30 ml finely shredded zest of lemon; chopped fresh chervil; 8 quail (or 4 poussins, pigeons, woodcocks or rock cornish game hens) with giblets; 8 quail (or 4 poussins, pigeons, woodcocks or rock cornish game hens) with giblets; olive oil; 8 quail (or 4 poussins, pigeons, woodcocks or rock cornish game hens) with giblets; whites of 2 leeks, thinly sliced; coarse salt; 8 thin sheets of larding fat or 8 thin slices unsmoked bacon; branch of thyme per bird; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 8 thin sheets of larding fat or 8 thin slices unsmoked bacon; 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, seeded & chopped; 1 onion, finely chopped; 10 fl oz/300 ml chicken or beef stock; 10 fl oz/300 ml chicken or beef stock; salt & pepper; 5 fl oz/150 ml red wine; 8 quail (or 4 poussins, pigeons, woodcocks or rock cornish game hens) with giblets; 8 quail (or 4 poussins, pigeons, woodcocks or rock cornish game hens) with giblets; 1 tbsp/15 ml olive oil; 8 oz/225 g coarse grained polenta; 1 tbsp/15 ml chopped fresh thyme; 1 tbsp/15 ml chopped fresh parsley; 1½ pt/1 litre bouillon, preferably homemade

Polenta with Quail Sauce

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

A Table in Provence

By Leslie Forbes

Published 1987

About

When asked how & when to serve this dish, Joséphine let out a gusty wheeze, “But in the winter of course - polenta hot & steaming on the bottom so the poor little birds can keep their feet warm!”

She makes enough polenta to fill a huge pot - this smaller quantity is more manageable.

Ingredients

Polenta

1½ pt/1 litre bouillon, preferably homemade
1 tbsp/15

Europe
France
Main course
Mediterranean
Provence
Gluten-free

Method

First make the polenta: put the bouillon in a big saucepan & bring to a low boil. Pour in the polenta in a slow steady stream, thin enough to see the individual grains, stirring constantly with a stout wooden spoon. Add 1 tbsp/15