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1
Preheat oven to 350u00b0; tie the legs of the quail together with kitchen twine.
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2
Season quail with salt and pepper.
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3
Place the flour in a shallow dish and lightly season with salt and pepper.
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4
Coat the quail in the flour, shaking off the excess.
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5
To cook: heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over med-high heat.
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6
Add the quail without crowding and sear on both sides until the birds are a dark, golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
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7
Sprinkle thyme sprigs over the birds and transfer the skillet to the oven.
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8
Continue cooking until the quail are cooked through but still pink, an additional 8-10 minutes.
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9
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the quail to a warm platter; cover loosely with foil to keep them warm.
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10
Make the sauce: pour off the excess oil; place the skillet on top or the stove over high heat.
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11
Add in the red wine and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the bottom.
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12
Decrease heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is well reduced, 8-10 minutes.
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13
Add in the stock and continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
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14
Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
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15
Whisk in the butter.
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16
Return the quail to the sauce and spoon the sauce over to coat; serve immediately.
