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Ingredients
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Quail and Stuffing
Five-Spice Butter Sauce
Roasting/Finishing
Method
Quail and Stuffing
- 1
Prepare quail
Remove any giblets from the quail cavities, pat the birds dry thoroughly with paper towels. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, trim excess fat and splay the cavity slightly so stuffing will fit.
- 2
Make stuffing
In a small bowl combine the cubed bread, diced shallot, minced garlic, chopped sage, chopped parsley, melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss until the bread is evenly moistened. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if very dry, add up to 1 tablespoon warm stock.
- 3
Stuff quail
Divide the stuffing into four equal portions and gently pack into each quail’s cavity (do not overpack — roughly 2 to 3 tablespoons per bird). Tuck the legs under or truss lightly with kitchen twine to keep stuffing in place. Brush the outside of each quail with 1 teaspoon neutral oil and season evenly with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Five-Spice Butter Sauce
- 4
Infuse butter
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the unsalted butter. Add the minced garlic and cook gently for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Stir in the Chinese five-spice powder and cook 10–15 seconds to bloom the spice.
- 5
Build sauce
Add the soy sauce, rice wine (or dry sherry), honey and lemon juice to the pan and whisk to combine. Increase heat slightly and simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, one tablespoon at a time, to slightly thicken and emulsify the sauce. Finish with the optional toasted sesame oil (if using) and adjust seasoning with the freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm; if the sauce solidifies, gently rewarm over low heat.
Roasting/Finishing
- 6
Roast quail
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a roasting rack on a shallow pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the stuffed quail breast-side up on the rack and scatter thyme sprigs around. Roast in the preheated oven for 12–16 minutes, or until the skin is golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) reads 155–160°F (68–71°C). Cooking time will vary by bird size; start checking at 12 minutes.
- 7
Pan-baste and rest
About halfway through roasting (at ~7–8 minutes), brush each quail with 1–2 tablespoons of the five-spice butter sauce to build color and flavor. If the pan is very dry, add 1/4 cup chicken or quail stock to the roasting pan at the start to prevent smoking and to collect juices. When the quail reaches target temperature, remove from oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 6–8 minutes; internal temperature will rise a few degrees and juices will redistribute.
- 8
Serve
While the birds rest, warm the remaining five-spice butter sauce if needed. Place each quail on a plate, spoon additional sauce over and around the bird, and garnish with a thyme sprig. Carve in half if desired to share. Serve immediately.