Quail and Grits
Submitted by CPR Family
- 8 quail
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup ground pecans
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups peanut oil
- 1 C Carolina Plantation Stone Ground grits (white or yellow)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Clean and dry quail, then season with salt and pepper.
Combine pecans and flour in a large bowl and mix well. Make an egg wash and beat the egg into the milk. Dip one quail at a time first into egg wash then into pecan-flour mixture, coating it well.
Heat peanut oil in a large heavy frying pan to 350°.
Cook quail until golden and tender, about 10 minutes. You may want to do this in two batches to avoid crowding the pan.
Keep the first batch warm in a low oven.
To cook grits:
Bring water and stock to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in grits, reduce heat and cover to simmer, stirring every 3-5 minutes to reduce sticking for at least an hour. If grits become too thick just add water and continue to stir.
When ready to serve add cream and stir, simmer for 10 minutes.
To serve, place the quail on grits add gravy.
Simple Gravy
Makes about 1 ½ cups
- Drippings from roasted meat or poultry (such as beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or turkey)
- Chicken Stock or Beef Stock (optional)
- 3 tbsp. flour Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Use your favorite recipe to roast meat. Skim off 3 tbsp. fat from drippings and put into the roasting pan. Skim off and discard remaining fat from drippings. If the meat or poultry didn't make enough juices, which is likely, add enough premade stock to drippings to measure 2 cups total.
2. Add flour to fat in roasting pan and whisk until well blended. Heat pan over medium-low heat. As it heats up, scrape up any crisp bits, mixing into blended flour and fat. Keep stirring, cooking paste until it has a nutty aroma and is evenly browned.
3. Whisk in drippings and cook, stirring frequently, until gravy thickens, 15-20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.