Mauviettes (Larks)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Two 12 to 14-inch (30 to 35 cm) flat stainless-steel skewers
• •13 by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) metal roasting pan
• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Butcher's twine
• •Large oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Build fierce heat

   Set an oven rack in the upper third and heat the oven to 500°F (260°C) for at least 25 minutes. Have a 13 by 9-inch (33 by 23 cm) metal roasting pan ready to support the ends of the skewers. The oven must be fully hot before the birds enter. A merely warm oven dries them while it gathers courage.

2. 2

   Fry the croûtons

   Trim the baguette slices into eight ovals slightly larger than a quail breast. Melt half the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When the foam subsides, fry four croûtons for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until evenly deep gold, then repeat with the remaining butter and bread. Transfer them to a wire rack so their edges stay crisp. If the butter darkens before the bread colors, lift the pan from the heat for 30 seconds and lower the flame before continuing; black butter makes bitter croûtons.

3. 3

   Thread the birds

   Pat the quail dry once more, inside and out, without rinsing them. Divide the salt lightly over their surfaces and cavities, tuck the wing tips beneath the shoulders, and secure the legs close to the bodies with short loops of butcher's twine. Thread four birds crosswise onto each flat skewer through the thick lower body and thighs, keeping all the breasts aligned. Take the six bacon squares prepared by Blanchings (No. 273) and thread one between every pair of birds, broadside to the heat, so each square can brush both neighbors as the skewer turns. Do not compress the birds together; crowded sides stay pale.

   Flat skewers prevent the birds from spinning. If yours are round, use two parallel skewers through each row so the quail turn as one.
4. 4

   Roast at full heat

   Set the skewer ends across the roasting pan so the birds hang above the metal rather than sitting in their drippings. Roast for 6 minutes, turn each skewer a half turn, then roast for another 6 to 10 minutes. They are ready when the skin is deep bronze, the bacon has rendered and colored at its edges, and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C) away from bone. If the breasts brown before the centre is safe, lower the oven to 425°F (220°C), shield only the dark areas loosely with foil, and continue checking. Ça se rattrape. If the meat is ready but the skin remains pale, give it 30 to 60 seconds under the broiler and do not look away.

   Probe one bird from each skewer. Small birds have a narrow margin between succulent and dry, and the thermometer settles the matter more honestly than the clock.
5. 5

   Rest on croûtons

   Move the skewers to a clean rack and rest the quail uncovered for 5 minutes. Do not tent them, or the crisp skin softens. Remove the twine, slide each bird from its skewer, and settle it immediately on a fried croûton so the bread catches the final savory drops.

6. 6

   Finish the platter

   Arrange the quail and their croûtons in two generous rows on a warm platter. Set the lemon quarters and small bunches of watercress all around, as the source directs, without covering the bronzed birds. Each guest squeezes lemon at the table. There is no missing sauce here: bacon, roasting juices, and butter-soaked bread have already done the work. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Wild larks are protected in many places. This recipe specifies traceable, farm-raised quail because it offers the same useful small-bird structure without pretending the flavor is identical. Check the package for birds of equal size, since one undersized quail can dry while its neighbors finish.
• •The source offers two bacon treatments: wrap each bird in a thin slice, or leave the skin exposed and separate the birds with bacon prepared by Blanchings (No. 273). This recipe follows the separator method named in the brief, which lets the quail bronze while the turning bacon bastes their sides.
• •Use unsmoked poitrine de porc sliced very thin. Heavy smoke overwhelms a small bird, while thick bacon remains rubbery during the brief roast. Ask the butcher to cut the squares nearly translucent.
• •Day-old baguette is right for the croûtons. Fresh bread drinks butter too quickly and can collapse under the birds; yesterday's loaf fries into a firm golden platform with a tender centre.
• •Pour a young cru Beaujolais or a light red Burgundy. Either has enough fruit for the roasted quail and enough freshness for the lemon and watercress without bullying the dish.

Advance Preparation

• •Dry the quail and leave them uncovered on a rack in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. This dries the skin for better browning. Keep them chilled and wait to thread them until shortly before roasting.
• •The bacon component prepared by Blanchings (No. 273) can be completed one day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. Bring the separated squares out while the oven heats so they remain pliable enough to thread.
• •Wash and dry the watercress and quarter the lemons up to 4 hours ahead. Wrap the watercress loosely in a damp towel and keep it chilled.
• •The croûtons can be fried up to 1 hour before serving and held uncovered on a rack. Roast the quail at the last moment; small birds lose their succulence when cooked and reheated.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 250g)