Sunday Flavors

HERBS AND LIME ROASTED QUAIL OVER PUMPKIN POTATO MASH

YOU WILL NEED (serves 4):
4 whole quails, cleaned, washed and dried (about 200 gr / 7 and ¼ oz each);
4 limes;
4 slices of bacon;
Fresh thyme sprigs;
Fresh parsley sprigs;
4 Bay leaves;
Salt;
Pepper;
4 garlic cloves, chopped;
1 tablespoon of paprika;
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil;
200 ml (7 and ¼ fl oz) of white wine;
4 medium size potatoes;
200 gr (7 and ¼ oz) of pumpkin pulp;
Tablespoon of butter;
Grounded nutmeg.

METHOD:
Seasoning (one day before cooking)

Choose good quality quails. If you use frozen ones, make sure the defrosted water is drained away and doesn’t get in touch with it;
Wash the quails and dry;
Make a paste with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika and rub the quails inside the cavity and outside as well. Leave it to marinate with white wine (do this operation one day before cooking, as the final result with be much better);

Before cooking

stuff each quail cavity with one bay leaf, some sprigs of thyme, parsley and one lime, completely pealed;
Roasting
Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF;
Place bacon slices on a roasting tray and place a quail over each bacon slice. Drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover the birds with a layer of tinfoil and take it to the preheat oven. Roast for one hour;
Remove the tinfoil and alow the quails to toast the skin, roasting around 15 minutes more;
When well roasted, discard the stuffing and reserve in a warm place;
Pumpkin and potato mash
Boil potatoes with water, salt and scraps of nutmeg for 15 minutes;
Add pealed pumpkin to the boil and cook for 10 minutes more;
Drain well and smash everything until you obtain a mash consistence;
In a pot take the mash to the heat with a tablespoon of butter to homogenize and dry a little;
Cut the heat, add chopped parsley and stirr gently;

Serving
Place a roasted quail over a portion of mash and serve;