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1
Prepare Rich Brown Stock: In a heavy saucepan, melt butter and stir in carrot, onion and garlic; cook over medium low heat until soft.
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2
Add bouillon, celery and herbs and simmer, uncovered, until stock is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 1 to 2 hours.
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3
Skim surface to remove foam as necessary.
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4
Season with salt and pepper to taste and strain through a sieve.
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5
Truss birds with string to hold wings and legs close to the body.
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6
In a heavy frypan, melt butter and saute birds over medium high heat until browned on all sides.
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7
Place birds in a large casserole dish.
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8
Pour off butter from frypan and add vinegar and brandy to pan; bring to a boil and stir to scrape up brown bits from bottom; add juice from raspberries and boil until reduce by half.
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9
Add Rich Brown Stock and simmer sauce for 2 minutes.
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10
(Recipe may be prepared in advance to this point.)
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11
Pour 1/2 cup hot sauce over birds.
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12
Cook, covered, in 375 F. oven for 35 minutes (50 minutes for Cornish hens).
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13
Stir cornstarch and water mixture into remaining hot raspberry sauce, bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
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14
Just before serving, stir in raspberries.
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15
Use quail cooking juices to thin syrup if necessary.
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16
Remove string from birds (cut Cornish hens in half) and arrange on a hot serving platter on top of a bed of Saffron rice with Currants.
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17
Ladle sauce over birds until glazed and pass remaining sauce separately.
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18
SAFFRON RICE WITH CURRANTS AND SNOW PEAS: This flavorful rice dish goes well with any poultry, especially game hens.
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19
1/2 cup currants 1/4 cup rose wine or 2 tablespoons medium sweet sherry 1/4 cup butter 2 cups converted long grain rice (Uncle Bens) 4 cups chicken broth Large pinch of crumbled saffron threads or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 pound snow peas Soak currants in wine until needed.
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20
In a heavy medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in rice; cook over medium low heat, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.
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21
Bring broth to a boil with saffron.
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22
Pour over rice; stir in basil, salt and pepper to taste.
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23
Simmer, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
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24
Stir in currants and wine.
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25
Spread on a large platter and arrange quail on top.
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26
Steam or stir fry snow peas and place around edge or at ends of platter.
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27
Canadian Living the Merry Christmas Cookbook Special
