There are many wonderful things about the holidays, but the food is certainly one of our favorites! So we went down to Pig & Khao, a restaurant in NYC with “Top Chef” Alums Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis who are opening a new restaurant called Root and Bone in early 2014. The two superstar chefs taught us how to make their speciality biscuits and stuffed quail. By the time we were done we had a great new recipe in our repertoire, we were totally full…and completely in the holiday spirit!

Make sure to tune into Bravo on Wednesday nights at 10/9c for new episodes of “Top Chef” and from all of us at NBCU Direct, Happy Holidays!

Biscuit & Bird
Bone in Quail, Buttermilk Biscuit, Bourbon Honey Jus, Winter Clementines & Pomegranate

Buttermilk Biscuits

King Arthur All Purpose Flour 380g
Baking Powder 20g
Salt 8g
Butter Frozen and grated 120g
Honey 50g
Buttermilk 1 cup

Pre heat oven to 375 degress F. Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter to bowl and gently toss butter with dry ingredients. Make a well and add buttermilk and honey. Using finger tips, mix wet and dry until the dough starts to form. Gently fold dough in half on itself and turn dough to the right 90 degrees. Repeat this step until all dough comes together and there is no dry flour visable. Dust bench with flour and roll out dough to 1 inch thickness. Cut biscuits with 1 1/2″ square cutter or free form with a knife. Bake for 15 mins until golden brown. Brush with melted butter.

Quail

Bone in Quail 4 Whole
Olive oil 2 Tbs
Salt 1 tsp
Pepper 1/2 tsp
Clementines, peeled and segmented 4 whole, reserve 1/2 for salad
Rosemary 12 sprigs
Pomegranate seeds from 1 whole pomegranate, reserve 1/2 for salad
Twine, 2 feet in length 4 pc

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff each quail with 4 clementine segments, pomegranate seeds and 3 rosemary sprigs. Place each bird with the neck facing away from you. Truss each bird by placing the half way mark of twine at the neck of the bird. Wrap the twine towards you to meet each other at the base of the bird. Tie one knot tightly and then double tie it to lock. Tie another loose knot in the air above the bird. Tuck each leg under loop and tie tightly to pull legs in close to chest. Trim excess twine. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes to let the juices settle before carving. To carve, slice knife down one side of breast bone following the shape of the rib cage, keeping on the inside of leg bones. Once your knife stops at the bones on chopping board side of quail, push down hard through the bones, releasing half the quail. Repeat on other side, and again with all birds.

Bourbon Honey Jus

Olive oil 1 TBS
Shallots, julienne 2 pc
Bourbon 1/2 cup
Orange Juice 1 cup
Chicken jus (recipe below) 1 pint
Honey 1 cup
S & B to taste

Dark Chicken Jus

Chicken bones 4 pounds
Spanish onions, large dice 3 Large
Celery, large dice 1/2 head
Carrots, large dice 1 large
Olive oil 1 TBS
Garlic 6 cloves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bay leaves 2 whole
Whole peppercorns, freshly ground 1/4 cup
Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems only small bunch
fresh thyme 6 sprigs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine chicken bones, onions, celery, and carrots in a large roasting pan; toss with oil and season lightly with salt & pepper. Roast until the bones and vegetables are a rich golden brown, about 45 minutes. Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot, add 1 gallon of water, and the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4 hours, skimming the scum that rises to the top with a ladle every 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer into a clean pot. Place back on the stove over high heat and cook until reduced by half.

Saute shallots in the olive oil until they begin to caramelize. Deglaze the pan with your favorite bourbon and the orange juice. Reduce by half and add chicken jus and honey. Reduce by half and check for seasoning. Place in ramekin.

Clementine and Pomegranate Salad

Clementines, peeled and segmented saved from above quail stuffing
Pomegranate seeds saved from above quail stuffing
Olive Oil 1 TBS
Watercress 2 oz
S & P pinch of each

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl right before serving.

Benne Seed Crunch

Toasted Benne Seeds (or sesame seeds) 1 oz
Maldon Salt or flakes of sea salt 1 tsp

Combine benne seeds and salt, place in shallow ramiken.

To Eat

Dip biscuit and quail into the bourbon honey jus and sprinkle with benne seed crunch. Enjoy with the refreshing winter salad.