Siman Meshwi

Name: Siman Meshwi
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 6 quails; 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; Salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 onion, blended to a cream in a food processor; Pinch of cayenne pepper or ground chili pepper; 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish; 2 lemons, cut into wedges, to serve with

December 9, 2011

Every year, migrating quails fly over the Mediterranean to Alexandria. Hundreds of the small birds fall, exhausted, on the dunes of the beaches of Agami, to be caught in large nets and collected in baskets. They are plucked and cleaned and marinated in a rich sauce, then grilled on the beaches over numerous little fires. Now quail farms are an important part of the local economy. Broiled quail are also a specialty of Lebanese restaurants, where they are served as mezze. The flavorings here are those of Alexandria.

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