STUFFED QUAIL WITH APPLE AND CELERIAC PUREE, CELERIAC CONFIT,CRISP WALNUTS AND LENTIL PAPER

Recipe by Wade Murphy, Executive Chef at The Lodge at Doonbeg (2012 for Golf Club World, Behind the Gates)
Wade Murphy currently operates 1826 Adare in County Limerick
(The Lodge at Doonbeg is now Trump International Golf Links)

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Stuffed Quail

• 4 Boned Quails (wing and thigh bone left on)
  
• Quail Stuffing (see recipe)
  
• 1 cup Duck Fat
  
• 4 medium Sprigs Rosemary (fresh)
  
• 2 ounces Unsalted Butter
  
• Sea Salt and White Pepper (freshly ground)

Quail Stuffing

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 6 ounces Cépe Mushrooms (fresh)
  
• Salt and Black pepper (freshly ground)
  
• 6 ounces Chicken Meat (diced)
  
• 3 ounces Quail Meat (diced)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Pink Curing Salt
  
• 5-1/2 Tablespoons Double Cream
  
• 1 whole Egg and 1 Egg Yolk
  
• 1-1/2 ounces Foie Gras (diced)

Celeriac Confit 

• 1-1/2 pounds Celeriac
  
• 10-1/2 ounces Goose Fat
  
• 3 sprigs of Thyme (fresh picked)
  
• 1 clove Garlic

Celeriac and Apple Purée

• 4 ounces Unsalted Butter
• 2 pounds Celeriac (peeled and 3/4 inch diced)
• 8 ounces Rooster Potatoes (peeled and 3/4 inch diced)
• 3 Golden Delicious Apples (peeled, cored and 3/4 inch diced)
• 4 Tablespoons Apple Juice (fresh)
• 4 Tablespoons Double Cream
• Salt and Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Maple Candied Walnuts

• 2 Tablespoons Butter (melted)
  
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
  
• 8 ounces  Walnuts (peeled)
  
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (ground)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

Lentil Paper

• 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
  
• 5 ounces Red Lentils (soaked overnight and drained)
  
• 3 Tablespoons Shallots (chopped)
  
• 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
  
• 4-1/4 cups Water
  
• Salt and Black Pepper (freshly ground)
  
• 8 ounces Potatoes (baked and scooped out)
  
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  
• 2 to 3 Tablespoons Water

Garnish

• Micro Celery Leaves
  
• Apple (julienned and cut at the last minute to prevent browning)
• Deep-fried Julienned Celeriac
• Game Jus

Preparation

Chef Note: The quail should be stuffed a day in advance.

Quail Stuffing
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the mushrooms until they turn golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. Mix the chicken and quail together. Dilute the curing salt and add to the chicken and quail. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate overnight. Transfer the chicken and quail mix to a chilled bowl and stir in the mushrooms. Whisk together the double cream and eggs and mix into the stuffing. Gently fold in the foie gras, taking care to leave it as chunky as possible.

Stuffed Quail
Fill the boned quail with the stuffing. Place each stuffed quail, 1/4 cup duck fat and rosemary sprig into a vacuum-pack or sous vide bag and seal on medium to high pressure. Preheat a water bath circulator to 185 degrees F. Place the quail in the water bath and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from the bath and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Refresh in ice water for 20 minutes. Just before serving, remove quail from bags and sear the quail in a pan with a little bit of unsalted butter. Finish the quail in the oven at 375 degrees F for 8
minutes.

Celeriac Confit
Peel the celeriac. Cut the celeriac into 1/2-by-1- inch strips, allowing 3 per portion. Reserve the remainder for garnish. Combine strips, goose fat, thyme and garlic in a saucepan, and simmer slowly under the celeriac is tender. Cool and refrigerate. Julienne the remaining celeriac. Deep-fry in clean oil, dry under heat lamps and season.

Celeriac and Apple Purée
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the celeriac, potatoes and apples. Sauté the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the apple juice and tightly cover the pot. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender. If the vegetables begin to burn or they seem dry, add another few Tablespoons of apple juice or some water. When the vegetables are cooked, add the cream and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée. Season with salt and pepper and reserve until needed.

Maple Candied Walnuts
Mix together the melted butter and the maple syrup and coat the walnuts with the mixture. Combine the dry ingredients, sprinkle over the walnuts and toss to coat them evenly. Place walnuts on a baking tray and space well. Bake at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes.

Lentil Paper
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the lentils and toast. Add the shallots, reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the shallots have softened. Add the cider vinegar, 4-1/4 cups water, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the liquid until it has almost evaporated. Blend the lentils with the cooked potato and cornstarch. Add 2 to 3 Tablespoons water and mix until blended. Chef Note: Don’t over blend the mixture as you want to see small chunks of the red lentils.

Assembly

Warm the celeriac confit and the celeriac puree. Place 2 pieces of the confit in a warm bowl. Add 4 drops of the puree randomly around the base. Place 3 candied walnuts on the plate. Carve the stuffed quail (reheated until hot, if necessary) and place it neatly on the plate. Garnish with the micro celery leaves, apple, fried celeriac and lentil paper. Spoon some jus on to the dish and serve.

Wine Match

Chablis Première Cru, Vallions, 2009

The Lodge at Doonbeg, Country Clare, Ireland
Image by Patrick O'brien, Kiawah Partners
(The Lodge at Doonbeg is now Trump International Golf Links)