4 quail, boned
Salt and pepper
Pate de foie gras (enough to stuff quail, about 2 ounces each)
4 pieces of bacon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup minced shallot
1/4 cup Armagnac
1 1/2 cups veal or chicken stock
2 to 3 teaspoons arrowroot dissolved in water
Fresh chervil for garnish
Preheat oven to 350F. Season quail, stuff with foie gras and wrap
with bacon. In oven proof saute pan heat 2 tablespoons of the butter
over moderate heat until hot. Add quail and cook until golden on all
sides. Transfer to oven and roast 15 minutes. Transfer quail to a
serving dish.
Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Add shallot and cook,
stirring, 1 minute. Deglaze pan with Armagnac, scraping up brown
bits clinging to bottom of pan. Add veal stock and reduce to 1 cup.
Add enough arrowroot to lightly thicken sauce. Whisk in remaining
butter. Pour juices from platter containing quail into sauce and
stir to combine. Coat quail with sauce and garnish with chervil.
