De-bone the quails. Discard the wings and head. Remove the legs and confit in the duck fat. Rub the crown in butter. Heat a large frying pan, sear the crowns to colour the breasts evenly. Chill immediately.
Roasted Breasts
Once the crowns are cold, remove the breasts and trim neatly. Season the flesh side. Place into a vacuum bag with a small knob of butter and seal of full pressure, cook in a water bath at 63 degrees for approximately 8 minutes. Chill in ice water and reserve for plating.
Crispy Leg
Once the legs are cooked in the duck fat, chill and press between trays. Clean the legs trimming around the leg bone and remove the thigh bone and trim neatly Reserve for plating.
Quail Kiev
Pick the meat from 4 quail legs, bind with some chicken mousse and season. Spread thinly between greaseproof paper and freeze.
Wrap one head of garlic in foil and roast in the oven until tender, approximately 25 minutes. Blitz in a food processor until smooth, add 200g butter and chopped parsley. Season to taste and freeze.
Take a 5cm x 5cm square of the quail mixture, place a small a 2.5cm length of the garlic butter on top. Roll the quail mixture over to completely enclose the butter. Tie neatly in cling film and set in the fridge until very firm. Pane the mixture in flour, followed by egg wash (egg yolk and milk) and panko breadcrumbs. Reserve for plating.
Douglas Fir Puree
Infuse 50g Douglas Fir into 100g cream. Melt 125g butter in a saucepan, thinly slice 9 shallots on a Japanese mandolin, add a pinch of salt. Sweat the shallots until very soft without colour. Strain off any excessive liquid. Blend with a small amount of butter and the douglas fir infused cream. Use enough cream to blitz the liquid until smooth. Season to taste and pass through a very fine sieve.
Douglas Fir Cream
Reduce the white wine in a pan with the sliced shallots and the Douglas Fir. When reduced to a glaze, add the chicken stock and reduce by half. Add the cream bring to the boil and remove from the heat. Wrap the pan in clingfilm and cool to allow the Douglas Fir to infuse. Strain and reserve for plating.
Spinach Puree
Wash the baby spinach, blanch it for 3 minutes in salted boiling water. Strain 80% of the water, reserving enough to allow it to blitz in a Vitamix. Add a small knob of butter and puree until very smooth. Season to taste and pass through a fine sieve.
Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Quail Salad
Wash the dandelion and red endive in iced water. Trim into neat pieces. Slice one shallot and place into a pickling liquid. Pick the wood sorrel allowing 4-5 pieces per plate.
Mushrooms
Saute the mushrooms in butter, season with salt and drain. Use whichever mushrooms that are in season - girolles, morels or chantrelles.
To Finish
Warm the quail breast in the water bath, remove from the bag, drain on absorbent paper and pan fry until golden, turn and cook on the other side quickly. Rest and carve. Pan fry the leg until golden and crispy. Warm some butter in a small skillet add the quail eggs and remove from the heat. Cut neatly with a small round cutter. Finish with chopped chives. Deep fry the quail kiev until golden, warm through in the oven.
Assemble on the plate with dots of Douglas Fir and Spinach purees. Place the quail components onto the plate. Build the salad on top, add the mushrooms. Pour the hazelnut vinaigrette into the centre. Heat the Douglas Fir Cream, foam with a hand blender and pour around. Finish with the wood sorrel.