Ingredients

• 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
• 4 sprigs thyme
• ½ bulb garlic
• 2 quails
• legs removed
• 1 tbsp pomace oil or good quality olive oil
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• cut into cubes
• 25g/1oz cobnuts
• shelled
• finely chopped
• to serve
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 quail legs (removed from the quail)
• 2 large shallots
• finely sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• approximately 500ml/18fl oz brown chicken stock
• 75ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 75ml/3fl oz white wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 spring onions
• finely sliced
• 2 tbsp chicken stock
• 1 slice watermelon
• peel removed
• cut into 0.5cm/¼in cubes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the quail
• place the chicken stock
• thyme and garlic into a pan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• Add the quail and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the quail with a slotted spoon and drain onto kitchen paper. When cool enough to handle
• using a sharp knife
• carefully cut the quail breasts away from the bone in one piece.
• Heat a frying pan until hot and then add the oil and butter. Once the butter has is foaming
• add the quail breasts skin-side down and fry for 3-5 minutes
• or until there is moderate resistance when the thickest part of the breast is squeezed (or until completely cooked through).
• Remove the breasts from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place for five minutes.
• For the quail vinaigrette
• heat a medium pan over a moderate heat. Add the vegetable oil and shallots and fry for one minute.
• Add the quail legs and fry until golden-brown all over.
• Add the thyme and rosemary and enough chicken stock to cover the quail legs completely. Bring to the boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Strain the stock through a sieve and return to the pan (discard the solids). Return the stock to the boil and cook to reduce the liquid to a thick consistency
• or until there is about 75ml/3fl oz remaining in the pan.
• Add the olive oil and vinegar and whisk well
• seasoning
• to taste
• with salt and black pepper.
• For the spring onions
• place the butter
• garlic and bay leaf into a clean medium pan over a moderate heat.
• When the butter has melted and is foaming
• add the spring onions and fry over a very gentle heat for three minutes.
• Add the two tablespoons of chicken stock and cook for a further five minutes
• or until the spring onions are still a little al dente.
• Remove the garlic and bay leaf.
• For the watermelon
• place the watermelon into a clean bowl with a little olive oil and a little freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• place three spoonfuls of the spring onions onto each plate. Top each with a quail breast and sprinkle some of the chopped cobnuts over each breast.
• Arrange the watermelon cubes around the plate and spoon the quail vinaigrette over the quail breasts.