Ingredients
12-16 Quail Breast
8 oz Baby Bella or White Mushrooms, chopped
1 Large Yellow Onion, diced
6 clove(s) Garlic, chopped
6 oz Spinach, chopped
2 cup(s) Mushroom Stock, see instructions
1 1/2 cup(s) Wild Rice
1 cup(s) Long Grain Rice
1/4 cup(s) White Wine, like Sauvignon Blanc
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 tsp Poultry seasoning
1-2 Sweet or Spicy peppers, diced
1 Bunch Fresh Parsley, Chopped
1 Bunch of Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Instructions
Mushroom stock
Step #2 - Clean the mushrooms. Then add 8 oz of Mushrooms to 5 cups of water and leave to soak for a few hours. Remove Mushrooms from water, dry them with paper towels then place a wire rack to dry. Keep stock to cook rice.
Step #3 - Place a few paper towels in colander and then place that over top of another small bowl. Slowly pour Mushroom stock through colander and paper towels to filter out any particles.
Wild Rice
Step #5 - Add 1 1/2 cup of Wild Rice to saucepan. Pour in 2 1/2 cups of Mushroom stock. Sprinkle a generous amount of salt, then drizzle in 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil. Bring to a boil, on medium high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 50-60 minutes.
Casserole
Step #7 - Remove breast meat from quail. Cut each breast in half. Every quail should produce 4 small pieces of meat.
Step #8 - Prepare all other ingredients by washing and dicing onion, garlic, mushrooms and peppers, removing leaves from thyme springs and chopping spinach.
Step #9 - Add 2 tablespoons of butter to large Dutch ovens and allow to melt on medium high heat. Add diced Onions, sprinkle with some salt and cook until translucent about 5 - 7 minutes.
Step #10 - Add 8 oz of chopped mushrooms and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes. Until mushrooms are soft and all the water has been released from them and evaporated for the pot.
Step #11 - Add diced garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Sprinkle in poultry seasoning and more salt, cook for an additional minute.
Step #12 - Add Quail breast and 1/4 cup of white wine.
Step #13 - Add long grain rice to pot.
Step #14 - Pour in 2 cups of Mushrooms stock, stirring to combine. Cook, with the lid on, 15 to 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed by rice and quail is done. Resist the urge to lift the lid.
Step #15 - While rice and quail cook, Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Step #16 - Start Béchamel sauce by adding 1 1/2 cup of milk to measuring glass. Place in microwave for one and half minutes. Or you can add milk to small saucepan on low heat. Milk doesn't need to boil, just needs to be warm. Add 3 tablespoons butter to a different saucepan on medium heat and pinch of salt. Allow to melt, then add 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour
Step #17 - Add 1 1/2 cup warm milk, stirring the whole time, until sauce starts to thicken, then remove from heat.
Step #18 - Add cooked Wild Rice to Quail and long grain mixture.
Step #19 - Add chopped spinach, stirring again to combine
Step #20 - Add the sauce you made to Quail and long grain mixture, stirring to combine all the ingredients.
Step #21 - Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and Fresh Thyme leaves.
Step #22 - Sprinkle with some additional poultry seasoning, a little salt and Thyme sprigs.
Step #23 - Place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.
Step #24 - When done, serve in bowl and garnish with Fresh Parsley and diced sweet peppers or spicy habaneros.
