Quail Pie
By: Anonymous
Published: Saturday, February 13, 2010 - 7:03am

Ingredients




4 lrgs whole quails 4
2 slcs white bread crusts removed
200 grams foie gras
200 grams button mushrooms
200 grams smoked bacon
knob of butter
50 mls brandy
50 mls madeira
150 mls demi glace (qv)
10 juniper berries
30 green peppercorns
1 salt and pepper
1 kg puff pastry
1 egg beaten

Preparation

1 Debone and skin the quails. 2 Cut the meat into 2.5cm cubes. 3 Cut the bread into 2.5cm dice. 4 Cut the foie gras into 2.5cm dice. 5 Combine the quail meat bread and foie gras in a bowl. 6 Clean and destalk the mushrooms and cut into quarters. 7 Dice the bacon into 1cm cubes. 8 Saute the mushrooms and bacon in the butter in a frying pan until golden. 9 Drain on kitchen paper. 10 In a saucepan bring to the boil the bandy madeira and demiglace and reduce until the sauce becomes click and strongflavoured. 11 Remove from the heat and leave to cool. 12 Add the mushrooms bacon and quail meat mixture to the cooled liquid. 13 Blend the juniper berries and green peppercorns to a fine powder and add to the mixture. 14 Season with salt and pepper and stir well ensuring all ingredients are well combined. Refrigerate for one hour. 15 Using a 7.5cm ice cream scoop pack the scoop tighdy with the mixture and make as many balls as the mixture will allow (approximately 45). Refrigerate until set. 16 Roll out the puff pastry to an even 5mm thickness. 17 Cut out an equal number of 12.5cm and 15cm circles. 18 This quantity should make 4 of each. 19 Use the smaller circles for the base and place a ball of quail mixture on each one. 20 Cover each ball with the larger circle stretching it slightly and pressing around the edges to seal. 21 Place in the refrigerator to rest for about 10 minutes then brush with the egg. 22 Using the back of the tlp of a small knife etch each pie making sure the pastry is not pierced. Use a large fluted cuner to trim the pastry. 23 Bake in the oven preheated to 220 degrees C/425 degrees F/gas mark 7 for about 12 minutes until the pastry is golden. 24 Serves 4