Cailles glacées Maryland

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow 9 by 13-inch (23 by 33 cm) metal pan
• •Blender and fine-mesh sieve
• •Wide ovenproof sauté pan
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Four 1½-cup (350 ml) oval moulds or small bowls
• •Chilled oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the granité

   Combine the filtered water and sugar in a small saucepan and warm gently, stirring only until the sugar disappears. Do not reduce it. The classical limit is fourteen degrés Baumé, a syrup-density reading; these weights keep the syrup safely below it without asking you to own a saccharometer. Cool completely, blend with the pineapple until smooth, then press through a fine sieve into a shallow metal pan. Freeze for 45 minutes, rake the frozen edges toward the center with a fork, and repeat every 30 to 40 minutes until the mixture consists of loose, pale-gold crystals, about 3 hours. Cover and keep frozen.

   If the mixture has not begun freezing around the edges after 90 minutes, the pineapple was exceptionally sweet. Blend in ice water one tablespoon at a time, up to the listed amount, spread it thin again, and continue freezing. Ça se rattrape.
2. 2

   Set the aspic

   Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of gelatin evenly over the ½ cup of cold water and leave it to bloom for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a bare simmer and reduce it gently to exactly 3 cups (720 ml / 720 g), skimming away every trace of fat. Remove it from the heat, whisk in the bloomed gelatin until dissolved, and strain through a damp fine cloth or coffee filter. Do not boil after adding gelatin, which weakens the set and dulls the stock's clarity. Spread a spoonful on a cold saucer and freeze it for 5 minutes; it should tremble but hold its shape. If it still runs, bloom the reserved teaspoon of gelatin in the reserved tablespoon of water, rewarm the aspic gently, and whisk it in.

3. 3

   Brown and roast

   Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Dry the quails thoroughly, then season them inside and out with the salt and white pepper. Melt half the butter in a wide ovenproof pan over medium-high heat. Brown four quails at a time, adding the remaining butter for the second batch, until their breasts and legs are deeply golden. Transfer all eight birds to a shallow roasting pan, breast-side up, and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165°F (74°C). Cold poultry must be fully cooked, but take it out as soon as it reaches that mark so the small breasts remain tender.

4. 4

   Joint and chill

   Rest the quails for 10 minutes, just until they can be handled. Pull away the breast lobes intact, then slide the thigh and drumstick meat from the fine bones, preserving the bronzed skin wherever possible. Check carefully for stray bones. Spread the meat in one layer on a clean tray and refrigerate uncovered until completely cold, about 45 minutes. Warm meat clouds aspic and can melt its first coat, so do not hurry this chill.

5. 5

   Line the moulds

   Rinse four 1½-cup (350 ml) oval moulds or small bowls with cold water and leave them damp. Pour about 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 30 g) of cool, fluid aspic into each one, rolling the mould so the base and sides receive a thin coat. Refrigerate for 8 to 10 minutes, until set, then repeat for a smooth glaze. Keep the remaining aspic fluid by setting its bowl over barely warm water if necessary.

6. 6

   Build the moulds

   Divide the chilled quail among the moulds, placing the finest breast pieces skin-side against the aspic so their bronze shows when unmoulded. Arrange the leg meat through the center. Pour in enough aspic to reach halfway, then chill for 15 minutes until tacky; this anchors the meat instead of letting it float. Fill to the rim with the remaining aspic. If an air pocket appears, slide in a thin skewer and press gently until the bubble rises, then cover the mark with another spoonful of aspic. Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

7. 7

   Refresh the granité

   Ten minutes before serving, rake the granité from edge to center with a sturdy fork, breaking every clump into coarse, separate crystals. If it has frozen into a hard slab, leave it at room temperature for 5 minutes and try again; if it has become wet, spread it flat and return it to the freezer for 15 minutes. Do not press the crystals together. Their loose grain is the whole point.

8. 8

   Unmould and serve

   Dip each mould in warm water for 3 seconds, dry the outside, and invert it onto a chilled oval platter. If it clings, repeat the dip for 2 seconds rather than forcing it. Arrange the four moulded portions around the platter, then spoon the granité into a high, irregular rock at the center without compacting it. Add the granité only at the last moment because raw pineapple can soften gelatin during prolonged contact. For outdoor dining, set the platter over a shallow tray of ice and bring it out only when everyone is seated. Serve immediately. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose plump quails of roughly equal size so they cook together. Tiny birds dry before their skin browns; quails weighing about 5 to 6 ounces (140 to 170 g) give enough breast meat to show handsomely through the aspic.
• •The aspic can only be as clear as its stock. Use a rich, unsalted stock without starch or vegetable purée, chill and remove all surface fat, then strain it before measuring. A cloudy stock remains cloudy when set.
• •Fresh pineapple varies enormously in sweetness. The measured syrup is deliberately light, and the fruit supplies the rest. Resist adding sugar after tasting unless you have frozen a spoonful first; sweetness tastes quieter when cold, but too much sugar costs the granité its grain.
• •Serve a chilled demi-sec Vouvray. Its acidity meets the pineapple while its gentle sweetness leaves the quail and aspic tasting savory.
• •Keep the finished dish at or below 40°F (4°C). At an outdoor table, return any remaining quail to the cold within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the air is above 90°F (32°C).

Advance Preparation

• •The pineapple granité can be made up to two days ahead. Keep it covered in its shallow pan, then let it soften for 5 minutes and rake it thoroughly before serving.
• •The quail moulds are better made the day before. Refrigerate them in their moulds, covered once fully set, and unmould only when the platter is ready.
• •For transport, pack the moulds and granité separately in an insulated chest with frozen packs. Assemble the dish at the table so the pineapple crystals remain distinct and the aspic stays firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 640g)