Grilled Spicy Quail

Name: Grilled Spicy Quail
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2/3 cup canola oil; 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup white wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons Chile-Italian Seasoning (recipe follows); 8 semiboneless quail (torso bones removed, but bird is still whole); Salt and freshly ground black pepper; Lime wedges, for serving; 2 tablespoons crumbled dried oregano; 1 tablespoon dried parsley; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 tablespoon garlic salt; 1/4 teaspoon celery salt; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 teaspoons Anaheim chile powder; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; (makes 1/2 cup)

December 20, 2011

My dad used to hunt, and quail was his favorite game, so grilled quail regularly appeared on our dinner table. When pressed for time, my mom would marinate the quail in store-bought Italian dressing spiced up with chile powder, grill it, and serve it as an appetizer followed by carne asada. In this recipe, I create the marinade from scratch, with just the right amount of chile powder. Squeeze a lime over the quail and don’t be afraid to eat it with your hands—it’s messy but delicious! This marinade is also great with chicken.

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