Cailles Figaro

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •5 to 6 quart (4.7 to 5.7 L) narrow stockpot or oval cocotte
• •Food-safe kitchen twine
• •Kitchen shears
• •Wide spider or slotted spoon
• •Instant-read thermometer

Instructions

1. 1

   Ready the casings

   Soak the casing lengths in plenty of cool water for 30 minutes, then rinse the outsides and run fresh water through each tube. Keep four flawless lengths and the fifth close as insurance. A nick becomes a split under heat; if you find one now, replace that section with the spare rather than trusting a weak envelope.

   Buy casing sold specifically for food preparation and poaching. Cling film, roasting bags, and cheesecloth do not perform the same work, and an improvised wrapper is no place for guesswork.
2. 2

   Truffle the quails

   Keep the quails cold while you work. Insert one piece of truffle deep into the body cavity of each bird so it cannot slip out during wrapping. Divide the firm glace de veau blonde into four pieces of about 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 16 g) each, roughly the size of a small pigeon's egg, and return them to the cold until the casings are ready.

3. 3

   Seal each parcel

   Drain one casing and open it carefully with wet fingers. Slip in a quail, then place one cold portion of glace de veau blonde against its breast inside the casing. Smooth out large air pockets without stretching the wrapper tight, and tie the casing firmly at two points, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in from the bird's neck and leg extremities. Repeat with the remaining birds. The parcel should fit closely but retain enough ease for the glaze to melt and move; drum-tight casing contracts and bursts.

   Double-knot the twine and leave short tails that are easy to grasp. If the casing tears during assembly, stop and rewrap the bird. Ça se rattrape before it reaches the pot.
4. 4

   Poach in stock

   Heat the fond de veau in a snug, deep pot to 180 to 185°F (82 to 85°C), where the surface barely trembles. Lower in the wrapped quails with a wide spoon and keep them fully submerged without crowding or pressing them against the pot. Hold this gentle heat and never allow a boil, which knocks the parcels about and tightens the casing. If one bursts, lower the heat, lift it immediately, transfer the bird and as much escaped glaze as you can into the spare casing, retie it, and return it to the stock. Ça se rattrape. The fond de veau is exactly why the bird has not washed out while you repair it.

5. 5

   Test the quails

   Poach for 20 to 25 minutes, maintaining the same bare tremble. At 20 minutes, lift the largest parcel and slide an instant-read thermometer through the tied leg end, following the opening rather than puncturing the broad side of the casing. The thickest part of the inner thigh must reach 165°F (74°C). If it has not, retie the end and return all four parcels for another 3 to 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve from the liquor

   Warm an oval platter, then lift the quails directly from the fond de veau and let each drain for only a few seconds. Arrange them on the platter in their tied envelopes, exactly as they leave the cooking liquor. At the table, snip one end of each casing, peel it away, and spoon every drop of melted glace de veau blonde back over its bird. Do not brown them under a broiler, reduce the poaching stock into another sauce, or add a garnish the formula never asked for. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The fond de veau must taste full and gelatinous, never merely salty. A butcher's unsalted veal stock that sets softly in the cold is an honest home answer; thin boxed broth or salted water cannot protect the bird if its casing fails.
• •Glace de veau blonde is pale, concentrated veal stock, chilled until firm enough to portion. Brown demi-glace brings roasted colour and a different flavour, so it does not belong here. Prepare the pale glaze ahead or order it from a butcher who makes classical stocks.
• •Fresh black truffle is splendid when the season gives you a good one. At other times, a whole preserved truffle in its own juice is the classical pantry's sensible answer; truffle-flavoured oil cannot replace the piece of truffle inside the bird.
• •Order large natural casing from a charcuterie supplier or ask a butcher who makes cooked sausages. Give the dimensions plainly. The standardized food-safe casing replaces the original kitchen's ready-cleaned gut, but its sealing work remains unchanged.
• •Serve Cailles Figaro immediately with a restrained red Burgundy or a mature white Burgundy. The bird already carries truffle and concentrated veal juices, so the wine should accompany rather than elbow its way onto the plate.

Advance Preparation

• •The fond de veau and glace de veau blonde can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the cold. Chill the glaze thoroughly so it can be divided into firm pieces.
• •The quails can be truffled, wrapped, and tied up to 2 hours before poaching. Set them on a tray, cover them so the casing does not dry, and keep them cold.
• •Cook as close to service as possible. If the table is delayed, hold the wrapped quails in fond de veau at about 160°F (71°C) for no longer than 10 minutes; a longer wait dries such small birds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 130g)