往常聖誕節的例行活動必是舉家往吃聖誕自助餐慶祝，感受節日氣氛之餘，更是每年一度品嚐美味烤火雞的機會。十二月中「回鄉」滑雪前後我也忙得不可開交，沒有預早訂位購票，加上今年饞嘴兵團少了父親大人，而哥哥一家與妹妹又未能同行，人丁單薄興致頓失，索性省下昂貴的自助餐費，簡單選一家有供應烤火雞菜式的餐廳午膳便算。聖誕日若午餐吃過火雞還了心願，晚餐在家下廚該弄什麼餸菜才富節日氣氛？想起嫂子說她用購於一田超級市場的急凍法國鵪鶉來煲湯味道非常鮮甜，兩隻只售 HK$68 價錢相宜，剛好公司附近有分店，聖誕前夕下班後便往入貨作準備。日間吃巨型火雞，晚上吃嬌小鵪鶉，感覺有趣。家中沒有焗爐，就試試把原隻鵪鶉以紅酒來燉熟吧！
今次用烤雞作藍本結合燉煮的方法烹調，法國鵪鶉 4 隻配以洋蔥1/4 個、檸檬 1/2個、蒜頭 4 瓣及新鮮迷迭香或百里香 4 – 8 枝
(因沒有購買新鮮香草，是次以西芹葉代替) 作釀入鵪鶉肚內之用；紅酒汁的材料為洋蔥 1/2 個、甘筍 1 根、西芹 3 條、蒜頭 1 瓣、紅酒 1/2 杯、清雞湯 1 杯和月桂葉 2 片；調味料則有岩鹽、粗鹽、黑胡椒、無鹽蒜味什錦香草、橄欖油與牛油。
先處理蔬菜配料， 1/2 個洋蔥切成約 2 cm 的方塊， 1/4 個洋蔥直向切開 4 瓣；去皮甘筍邊滾動邊斜切成三角形小塊；西芹切去葉子留起備用，西芹莖去絲後斜切成小段； 5 瓣蒜頭去衣後， 1 瓣剁碎， 4 瓣拍鬆； 1/2 個檸檬垂直剖開 4 份。
急凍法國鵪鶉解凍後洗淨，去掉殘留的羽毛和肚籠裡的內臟，頸部切去備用，瀝水後再以廚紙吸乾水分。還記得小時候母親從菜市場所買的鮮鵪鶉因商販為方便屠宰總是連皮去掉羽毛，無法吃到豐潤香口的外皮，看著眼前儼如迷你春雞的厚肉連皮貨色，格外興奮雀躍。每隻鵪鶉以岩鹽、黑胡椒碎和蒜味什錦香草碎各約 1/2 茶匙塗均鳥身內外，因岩鹽鹹度偏低，便多放
1/4 茶匙粗鹽來提味，接著把 1 瓣蒜頭、1 塊檸檬角、 1 瓣洋蔥片與 2 枝西芹葉 (迷迭香或百里香) 釀進鵪鶉的腹腔內，放置一旁醃 15 至 30 分鐘。
鵪鶉醃好後先於鳥身塗上少許橄欖油，易潔平底鑊注入 1 湯匙橄欖油以中火燒熱，放進鵪鶉耐心地把每一邊外皮煎至金黃焦香，盛起備用。
以煎鵪鶉剩下的油來炒蔬菜，爆香洋蔥後依次加入甘筍、蒜蓉和西芹，放 1 茶匙粗鹽兜炒約 3 分鐘。
為了節省火力又可以一整鍋餸菜上桌，我選用耐熱力強的琺瑯鑄生鐵鍋來完成最後的燉煮過程。先在生鐵鍋內倒入少量橄欖油才開火燒熱，放進剛才炒好的蔬菜及鵪鶉頸，把鵪鶉胸部向上排於蔬菜面，注入 1/2 杯紅酒，煮沸後加入 1 杯清雞湯及 2 片月桂葉，燒開後放上鍋蓋轉以小火熬煮 15 – 20 分鐘，讓湯汁的蒸氣把鵪鶉燉熟。若沒有生鐵鍋，蔬菜炒好後便可直接放上鵪鶉燉煮。
鵪鶉燉好後以筷子或竹籤刺入上髀厚肉位置，沒有血水流出即表示已熟透，否則要多煮一會。為湯汁試味，感覺鹹淡適中，最後拌入 1 湯匙牛油來令紅酒汁的質感變得順滑，再灑上蕃芫荽碎和黑胡椒碎作裝飾便可整鍋上桌。
原隻鵪鶉放置碟上，伴以三色米飯和蔬菜，由於烹煮時湯汁沒有蓋過鳥身，令鵪鶉賣相跟烤焗無異，以刀叉切開胸肉，猶如在片吃迷你烤火雞，甚富聖誕節感覺。
在家舒適地品嚐簡單而華麗的聖誕晚餐，重溫闊別多年的鮮甜鵪鶉之味，既經濟實惠，又可享受入廚之樂，不必大灑金錢人潮中限時大吃大喝，也覺開心滿足。
~* Braised Quails
in Red Wine Sauce *~
Ingredients
Fowl & Stuffing:
4 French Quails
1/4 Onion
4 Garlic Cloves
1/2 Lemon
4 – 8 Sprigs of
Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme or simply Celery Leaves)
Himalayan Pink
Salt
Coarse Sea
Salt
Freshly Grounded
Black Pepper
Unsalted Garlic
& Herbs Seasoning
Olive Oil
Sauce:
1/2 Onion
1 Carrot
3 Celery Stalks
1 Garlic Cloves
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 Cup (125 mL)
Red Wine
1 Cup (250 mL)
Chicken Broth
Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt
Butter
Parsley Flakes
Freshly Grounded
Black Pepper
Directions:
1. Prepare the vegetables, 1/2 onion diced in
big chunks, 1/4 onion quartered, carrot peeled and roll-cut into triangular
chunks, celery deveined with leaves reserved and cut into thick angled slices,
4 garlic cloves smacked, 1 garlic clove chopped and 1/2 lemon cut into 4
wedges.
2. Wash thawed quails, remove any remaining
guts and feathers, cut off the necks and reserve them for the sauce, then pat
dry the birds with paper towels thoroughly.
Rub the birds inside and out generously with pink salt, sea salt,
freshly grounded black pepper and unsalted garlic & herbs seasoning. Stuff 1 smacked garlic clove, 1 lemon wedge,
1 onion wedge and several sprigs of fresh herbs (I used celery leaves this time)
in each bird’s breast cavity and marinade for 15 to 30 minutes.
3. Drizzle some olive oil over the quails,
then heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a non-stick pan, sear the birds with medium
heat until the skins are golden brown all around and set aside.
4. Use the remained drippings in the pan to sauté
the veggies, onion first, then carrot, chopped garlic and celery, season with 1
tsp of salt and fry in medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. In a enamel cast iron casserole, heat up 1
tbsp olive oil, then transfer the sautéed veggies into the pot, place the
quails with breast side up onto the veggie bed, add the reserved quail necks
and pour in 1/2 cup of red wine. Let the
wine simmer for a while, add 1 cup of chicken broth and 2 bay leaves, when the
soup is brought back to a boil, turn down to low heat and simmer with the lid on
for 15 to 20 minutes. The steam from the
stock will gently cook the birds.
6. Prick the inner thighs of the quails with
a chopstick or skewer to check if they are fully cooked, simmer a few
minutes more when blood water is spotted. Taste for final seasoning, then stir
in 1 tbsp of butter to smoothen the sauce.
7. Sprinkle parsley flakes and freshly
grounded black pepper over for garnish and this gorgeous pot of quails is ready
to be served hot with steamed rice and extra green veggies.
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