Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Quail

From Chef Mimi Assad of Le Foret


Serves 4-6 as appetizers

For the Gnocchi:
1 bunch mustard greens
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup  freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs, finely ground
Salt and pepper
* Piping bag is needed for recipe.

Remove the greens from the stems, wash them, then roughly chop. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add greens then boil to tender. Remove the greens from the water into an ice bath. Reserve the cooking liquid. Squeeze the excess water from the greens and place them in a blender or food processor. Add the olive oil and Parmesan. Purée the mixture, adding cooking liquid to loosen it enough to move in the machine. Blend to a smooth purée. Using a rubber spatula, remove the mixture from the machine into a medium-sized bowl. Add the egg yolks and egg. Mix thoroughly. Add the flour and panko crumbs. Stir until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be tacky but dough-like.

Place the dough in the piping bag. Cut a 1/2 inch hole in the tip of the bag. Heavily flour a work surface, then pipe the dough onto it in 12 inch logs. Bring a pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Roll the logs in the flour to completely coat them and make them uniform in shape. Using a knife or pastry cutter, cut the logs into 1" pieces.  Add the gnocchi to the boiling water. Once they float to the surface, cook them 3-4 minutes more. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl. Once the gnocchis are cooked, place them in the oiled bowl using a slotted spoon.

For the sauce:

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped carrot

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/2 tsp. tomato paste

3 tbsp. white wine

1 1/2 cups low sodium or no salt chicken stock

3 thyme sprigs

1 tbsp. Creole mustard

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

Minced parsley, chives

In a saucepan, sweat the onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook one minute then deglaze with white wine. Add the chicken stock and thyme sprigs. Reduce by half or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan. Add the Creole mustard and pine nuts.

For the quail:
6 deboned quail
Salt and pepper
24 thinly sliced 1/2 inch wide strips of prosciutto
Olive oil

Cut each deboned quail down the middle, then divide the halves into breast and leg pieces. Salt and pepper the pieces. Wrap each piece in a strip of prosciutto—don't overlap the prosciutto too much. Lightly oil the pieces with olive oil. Place on the grill and cook to your liking.