Barbecued quail with beetroot and date salad

Name: Barbecued quail with beetroot and date salad
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 fresh quail; sea salt and pepper; 1 garlic clove, finely sliced; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp olive oil; Salad; 3 cooked and peeled beetroots; 3 soft pitted dates, sliced; 1/2 red onion, finely sliced; 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 2 tbsp olive oil

Jill Dupleix

October 18, 2011

Barbecued quail with beetroot and date saladMarina Oliphant

Time:< 30 mins

Serve this easy, finger-lickin' grill with a salad of cooked beetroot, dates and red onion. Is it just me, or does everyone think red onion improves absolutely everything at a barbecue⁄

Ingredients

6 fresh quail
sea salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
Salad
3 cooked and peeled beetroots
3 soft pitted dates, sliced
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

- With a pair of scissors, cut either side of the backbone of each quail, then discard the backbone. Turn the quail breast side up and flatten it down with a hefty shove from the palm of your hand. Rinse lightly, pat dry, and marinate in garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and olive oil for an hour or so.
- Dice the beetroots and slice the dates. Toss with the red onion, parsley, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
- Heat a cast-iron ridged grill or barbecue until hot, and lightly oil the grill with the marinade. Barbecue the quail (it helps to press it down on the grill with a fish slice once or twice), turning once, for about 10 minutes all up or until the skin is brown and the meat is just cooked through. Serve with the beetroot and date salad.

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