Roast & marinated quail with warm spring vegetable salad

Ingredients

• 2 oven-ready quails (See tip at end of recipe)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• small knob of butter
• 10-12 asparagus spears
• 2 handfuls salad leaves (I use frisée)

For the marinade and dressing

• 2 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp sesame oil

For the potato salad

• 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp mascarpone
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 300g new potatoes, cooked, then peeled and halved
•   Prep: 20 mins Cook: 30 mins
  Moderately easy
  Serves 2 
   

  Method

  1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then brown the quail well on all sides. Add the butter and baste the quail. Then pop into the oven for 10 mins. Leave the quail to rest for a few mins until just cool enough to handle.
  2. Using a large serrated knife, carefully halve each quail straight down the middle, then submerge in the marinade and leave to rest while you make the rest of the dish.
  3. For the potato salad, mix the crème fraîche, mascarpone, vinegar and spring onions with some salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sizzle the potatoes for about 5-10 mins, tossing occasionally until golden.
  4. Tip the hot potatoes into a bowl and fold through the crème fraîche mixture to bind and dress them. Set aside.
  5. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus, peel the stalks, then cut each spear in half at an angle. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
  6. Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 2 mins until tender but retaining a slight crunch. Drain well. Place in a small bowl and, while still steaming hot, spoon over and toss through a couple tbsp of the marinade. You are now ready to serve.
  7. Spoon half the potato salad into the centre of a large dinner plate. Lift the quail from the marinade and lay 2 halves, breasts facing inwards, on top of the potato salad. Scatter the leaves evenly around the edge of the plate. Tuck the asparagus spears in a circular fashion among the salad leaves with the tips pointing out. Coat the quail and drizzle the leaves with a little more of the marinade, then serve.