Pan-Seared Quail and Foie Gras with Fried Apricot Fig Chutney and Potato Pancake

To many people, cooking quail or squab sounds difficult, fancy and somehow out of reach. The truth is: It's actually quite simple. When I throw a fairly large dinner party I find it easier to cook one or two birds per person than roast two or three larger birds and then have to carve and plate them. Most of the work can be done in advance, and the only thing that remains last minute is cook the and quail and warm up the pancakes, chutney and foie gras.

Potato Pancake:
1 potato, peeled, quartered
pinch kosher or sea salt
all-purpose flour, unbleached (60 g)
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 egg
milk (85 mL)

Quail:
2 quail
olive oil, for frying
butter, for frying
2 eschalots, peeled
5 cloves garlic, peeled
5 thyme sprigs
5 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1½ Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. pure honey
chicken stock (750 mL)
veal stock (750 mL)

Dried Fruit Chutney:
1 orange, peeled, juiced
6 dried apricots, cut into 5 mm cubes
2 dried figs, cut into 5 mm cubes
1 tsp. pure honey
balsamic vinegar (30 mL)
5 saffron threads

To Serve:
olive oil, for frying
butter, for frying
4 small slices foie gras or duck livers

Garnish:
toasted flaked almonds
micro chervil
kosher or sea salt

For the Potato Pancake:
Place potato in a saucepan, cover with water, and season with salt. Place over medium heat, bring up to a simmer, and cook until tender.

Strain through a fine sieve, and return potato to pan set over low heat for 2 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.

Push potato through a drum sieve, mouli or ricer into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until needed.

For the Quail:
Remove legs and thighs in one piece, leaving skin on. French leg bones. Carefully remove breasts, leaving whole, with the skin on. Refrigerate until needed. Reserve carcasses for the sauce.

Heat enough oil to lightly coat the base of a frying pan set over medium-high heat. Cook quail carcasses for 5 minutes until browned. Add butter to pan. Once foaming, baste carcasses, cooking until dark golden. Strain off butter, then transfer to a bowl, and set aside.

Return pan to heat, then add enough oil to lightly coat the base of the pan. Cook eschalots, garlic, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaves for 2-3 minutes or until golden, stirring regularly. Add soy sauce and honey, and cook until reduced to a glaze. Add stock and bones, simmer for 30 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve. Return stock to a clean pan, and reduce by half until thickened and sticky. Keep warm until needed.

For the Dried Fruit Chutney:
Remove pith from orange peel, then add to a small saucepan and cover with water. Place over high heat, bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes. Strain through a sieve, discarding water. Cut orange rind into thin matchsticks.

Add all ingredients to a pan, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4 minutes until liquid has evaporated, and fruit begins to soften and slightly caramelise. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Preheat an oven to 250°F (120°C/100°C fan, Gas Mark 0.5).

Cook the Pancake:
Lightly drizzle the base of a non-stick frying pan with oil set over medium heat. Spoon enough of the pancake mixture into pan to make 8 cm wide x 5 mm thick pancakes. Cook for about 2 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble, turn over, and continue to cook for a further minute until lightly golden. Repeat process with remaining mixture. Place pancakes onto a tray and keep warm in the preheated oven.

Cook the Quail:
Meanwhile, season quail with salt and pepper. Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat, and drizzle with oil. Cook quail for 1 minute, skin-side down. Add butter and once foaming, cook for 2 minutes until golden brown, basting quail with the butter. Turn quail over and cook for a further 30 seconds or until golden brown. Remove leg and thigh pieces and place in pan with jus. Set breasts aside to rest.

Cook the Foie Gras:
Meanwhile, place a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Sear the foie gras or liver for 1-2 minutes until gently caramelised on each side, taking care not to overcook.

To Serve:
Place a pancake into centre of each plate. Spread with a Tbsp. of chutney, lay breast on top of pancake followed by the foie gras. Drizzle quail with jus and place leg on top. Garnish with almonds and chervil.

Makes 4 servings.