Quail help needed

I found some farm raised Quail at Caputo's 6 to a package for
I spent some time tonight parting the birds out as follows
boneless split breasts
leg & thigh (now marinating in red wine, S&P & thyme
back bones, wishbones (really cute) and other parts not including organs

I figure I'll braise or confit (sort of...) the leg and thighs

use the bones and such to make a sauce (need help here)
and

quickly heat the breast portions to just beyond rare

What I'm looking for is help with the seasoning and any tips on
any of the above ideas. If my ideas suck please let me know what would
work better!

Some combo of the above will be the second course for a dinner I'm cooking on Saturday. We will be starting with the chanterelle soup served in a demitasse cup as the amuse.
Main course is some fancy strip steaks and garlic mash potatoes and grilled veggies.

TIA

Your plans for the quail sound ambitious. However, they sound delicious, so if you have already got them marinating, go forward.

If you want a demi-glace type sauce from the bones, etc. you will need a bit of enrichment from roasted, browned and stewed chicken, duck, or even veal bones to get a thick stock going. First, make a mirepoix add it to enrich the meat stock as it boils, and strain it out before the final thickening of the stock. You could also reduce some red wine to a tablespoon or so and add that to the sauce/glaze. But you will need to taste to get the balance right, or the wine will dominate.

Given the small amount of meat per bird, you might be just as well off with a somewhat simpler approach.

One of my favorite things to do with quail is to marinate it in Cavalchina rose (the wine--minus the accent on the e) and pine forest honey for several hours or overnight. Then I dry, salt, and grill them and serve on mixed lettuces with a light vinaigrette. Or, I stuff the boneless birds with rosemary branches and wrap them in pancetta, secured with toothpicks, and grill them. They are good this way served with a slightly bitter lettuce mix with frisee and radicchio, and a stronger flavored vinaigrette. It is also nice to make some croutons to set them on and absorb the juice-- with or without the lettuce.

Sounds like a wonderful dinner. Enjoy.

mhill95149 wrote:
I figure I'll braise or confit (sort of...) the leg and thighs

All my experiences with quail entails exceedingly tiny, almost mouselike-sized creatures... You've got enough "meat" to braise or make a confit?

I've got to see these giant quail myself... are you sure they aren't pigeon? Even pigeon would be too small...

the leg & thigh portion were might small but IMHO confit
(low and slow) worked pretty well. the red wine marinade
was a bit of a mistake. I browned them under a broiler
and that over cooked the legs a bit... live and learn....
FWIW the breasts came out medium rare and were quite good.