Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 to 8 quail ((see headnotes above for substitutions))
  • Salt
  • 3 stalks celery, (chopped)
  • 1 large yellow onion, (sliced thin)
  • 1 head garlic, (cloves peeled but whole)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 3 Lemons, zest and juice
  • 12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts
  • 12 ounces pitted black olives
  • 1 tablespoon capers ((optional))
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • Black pepper to taste

Instruction

  • Using kitchen shears or a knife, cut out the backbones of the quail. If you want to get fancy, remove the ribs as well. I do this so there's less fiddly stuff in the braise when you eat. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, lidded pot like a Dutch oven. Salt the quail well and brown them in the oil, removing them to a bowl as they brown. It's OK if not every bit of the quail are browned, but you want some on both sides.
  • Add the onion and celery and sauté until translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic cloves, the quail back into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, the oregano and the wine. Mix well and let the wine boil for a minute or three.
  • Just barely cover the quails with water, bring it to a simmer and add salt to taste. Add the lemon zest, cover the pot and put it in the oven for 1 hour.
  • Take the pot out of the oven and add the artichoke hearts, black olives and capers, if using. If the quail are not yet tender, which might be the case with wild birds, cover the pot and return to the oven until they are. This shouldn't be more than another 30 minutes or so.
  • Once the quail are tender, add in the parsley, lemon juice and black pepper. Serve with bread, rice or potatoes.