Braised Quail on Fennel & Carrot Salad Nest Pressure Cooker Recipe (2024)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Quails, whole cleaned and emptied and rinsed
• ½ cup (125ml) Spumante, or champagne or any sparkling white wine
• 3.5 oz (100g) Smoked Pancetta, diced
• 2 Scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 Bunch of Thyme
• 1 Bunch of Rosemary
• 1 Laurel Bay Leaf
• Salt and Pepper
• ½ Fennel bulb, chopped into matchsticks
• 4 Large, thick carrots, chopped into matchsticks
• 1 Lemon
• Rocket Arugula

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Begin by preparing the salad for the nest. Cut the Fennel and carrot into small matchsticks. I like to use a mandolin but you could use a food processor or cut them by hand.
2. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker reaches pressure, lower to the heat to the minimum required by the cooker to maintain pressure. Cook for 1 minute at high pressure.
3. When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure.
4. Quickly, pull out the steamer basket and run cold water over the vegetables to stop their cooking immediately (you don't want them to turn mushy!)
5. Then, pour the steaming liquid in a separate container to use later as the braising liquid for the quail.
6. In the empty pressure cooker, on medium-low heat without the lid on, add the smoked pancetta, shallots, thyme, rosemary and bay laurel. Season with salt and pepper.
7. In the meantime, stuff the cavity of the quail with little rosemary and thyme bunches.
8. When the pancetta begins to sizzle, and the shallots have softened, scoot the contents of the pan to one side and put the quails breast-side down in contact with the pan. Turn and brown all sides, and then position them breast-side up.
9. Pour in the spumante, de-glazing the pan by detaching any little delicious brown bits that may be stuck to the bottom and incorporating them in the sauce. Reduce the wine to about ⅓ the amount, about 3 minutes.
10. Pour in the steaming liquid from the carrots and fennel.
11. Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Turn the heat up to high and when the cooker reaches pressure, lower to the heat to the minimum required by the cooker to maintain pressure. Cook for 7-9 minutes at high pressure.
12. When time is up, open the cooker by releasing the pressure.
13. Delicately remove the quail from the pressure cooker and set aside.
14. Strain the cooking liquid and put it back in the cooker on medium-high heat to reduce to about half.
15. In the meantime, perform a herbectomy, remove as many of the wilted herbs as possible from the cavity. If you like, you put a tuft of fresh herbs in the opening for garnish.
16. Prepare the serving platter or individual dish by attractively arranging the steamed fennel, carrots, fresh arugula and spritzing them with a little olive oil and lemon.
17. When the sauce has reduced, place the quails back in the cooker, and continuously spoon the sauce over the quail to warm up and glaze them, about 2 minutes. Place the quail on the serving platter, or dish, and spoon remaining sauce and sprinkle with herbs right before serving.