Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Quail, The. — The quail will keep for .several days before it is dressed. It may either be drawn before being roasted, or, like the woodcock, be roasted without being drawn. As it is rather deficient in flavour; a slice of fat bacon and a vine-leaf are generally tied over it, before putting it to the fire. Quails, Dr. Doran tells us, are variously said either to have recalled Hercules to life or to have cured him of epilepsy. The Romans, however, rather feared them, as tending to cause epileptic fits. Galen thought so ; Aristotle took a different view ; the Greeks devoured them as readily as though they had Aristotle's special authorisation, but the Romans wore only slowly converted to the same way of thinking. " Quails, in my opinion," says M. Ude, "have no flavour, and from the circumstance of confinement and bad feeding, are never very fat : it is only their rarity that makes them fashionable. They must be served as roast onlv." Quails, Compote of. — Take six or eight quails, according to the size of the dish. Cut the claws off, and empty the birds, without making too large an opening. Truss them with the legs inward. Have a dozen pieces of bacon cut in the shape of corks, blanch them in order to draw the salt out, then let them fry in butter till they are of a light brown ; next take them out of the stewjian to make room for the quails, which stew till they begin to be of a light brown also, and then take them out. Make a roux, which moisten with a ladleful of gravy of veal; add a bunch of parsley and green onions, some small white onions (if approved of), mushrooms, &c. As soon as the quails are done, take them out of the stewpan, and let the bacon stew till thoroughly done. Skim the sauce well, and strain it through a tammy over the quails ; then dish the bacon, mushrooms, and small onions, and send u]) quite hot and well seasoned. "This dish," .says M. Ude, "will not do for an English dinner." Quails, Galantine of. — Bone half a dozen quails. This is a delicate and troubloj some process, and if the cook cannot manage it she had better let it be done by the poulterer, llince finely the livers of the 'birds, and mix QUA ( 674 ) QUE with them a minced sweetbread, two or three ounces of grated ham, and a little chopped parsley, minced shallot, and pepper and salt. Bind the forcemeat together with the yolk of an egg. Lay the birds open on the table, skin downwards. Divide the forcemeat equally amongst them, and spread half of it upon the birds. Lay upon each a slice of cold tongue, a spoonful of chopped truffle, if this can be had, and afterwards the rest of the forcemeat. Roll each bird to an oval shape, and tie it in a piece of old napkin. Lay the birds side by side, and put with them the bones and trimmings, a little pepper and salt, an onion stuck with two or three cloves, and either a knuckle of veal or a calf's foot. Cover with nicely-flavoured stock, and let the quails simmer gently for three-quarters of an hour. Take the saucepan from the fire, and let the birds remain in the liquor until they are nearly cold. Drain them, take them out of the napkins, and brush them over with glaze. Boil the sauce quickly to a jelly, and strain it. If it is not quite clear, clarify it with white of egg.