Author: cia

Sauce adapted from a fisherman in Panama

Ingredients:
4 semi-boneless quails, butterflied
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 plum tomato, roughly chopped
1/4 cup of red wine
1/4 cup of chicken broth
salt, pepper and oil

1. Rub quails inside out with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat enough oil to submerge quails halfway. When almost smoking, fry quail on both sides, pressing on them so that they lay flat.
2. Afterwards, throw away oil, leaving some for sautéing. Sauté garlic until brown and onions until transparent and tomato mushy. Add peppers and broth. Simmer and cook pepper until soft. Add wine and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with quails.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ditalini, or any short tubular pasta
1 large can of stewed tomatoes in juice
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt, pepper and oil

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Sauté garlic until brown and then add tomatoes with juice and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil.
2. Add pasta and bring back to boil for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add thyme and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer until zucchini is tender.

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients:
1 salmon steak
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
a handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced
salt, pepper and oil

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Make the rub. Combine garlic, mint and thyme in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Rub mixture onto salmon. Place on sheet and bake salmon until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat some oil in a skillet. Sauté garlic until brown and tomatoes until mushy. Add zucchini and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add scallions. Season with remaining rub. Serve with salmon.

Adapted from Mario Batali’s Quaglie con Carciofi

Ingredients:
8 semi-boneless quails
8 slices prosciutto
8 medium artichokes, trimmed, choke removed, cut into wedges, held in a bowl of lemon water
8 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsps tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup flat parsley leaves
salt, pepper, olive oil

1. Season each quail with salt and pepper. Wrap each one in a slice of prosciutto, securing it with toothpicks if necessary.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the quail, a few at a time and brown on all sides. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.
3. Add artichokes, garlic and tomato paste to the pot, stirring ocassionally until paste turns into a deep rust color. Add the wine, cover and cook until artichokes are tender. Add the quail, cover and cook until the meat is just pink at the leg bone, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the parsley.