Spinach is grown in sandy soil, so it's best to wash it well. Pluck or pull large stems and veins from the leaves in a sink or large bowl of water. Agitate, then let rest. Gravity will finish the job. Lift the spinach from the water and drain well. Curly leaf or flat leaf varieties are both good and have loads of iron and vitamins A and C.
Go ahead and use semi-boneless quail. They are available at better butcher shops.
Spinach Salad
- 1 smoked quail per person
- 1 handful spinach per person
- Sliced mushrooms, julienned green apples, and red onions for garnish
Hot Honey Mustard and Bacon Dressing
- 1 cup Creole mustard or coarse-grained tarragon mustard
- ½ cup Hudson's champagne herb vinegar
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup bacon, diced into bits
Cook the bacon in a single layer, drain and crumble.
Mix the bacon, vinegar, ½ cup honey and mustard together in a saucepan and bring to a light simmer.
Honey Cilantro Ginger Glaze
- 1-1/2 cups honey
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup fresh ginger, minced
- ¼ cup garlic, minced
- ¼ cup shallots, minced
- 2 bunches cilantro, leaves only
- Salt and pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon minimum
- ¼ lb. sweet butter
Combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat; simmer for 4 minutes. Hold on warm, at 180º or less.
Smoke quail. This can be done earlier in the day. Re-warm quail in a 250º oven for 5 minutes after dipping it in the glaze.
To assemble salad, toss hot dressing onto cold spinach, ¼ cup per salad.
Garnish with sliced mushrooms, julienned apples, and red onions.
Dip quail in glaze one more time. Rest quail, glazed and hot, atop the wilted spinach salad.
© Cooking Fearlessly - Recipes and Other Adventures from Hudson's on the Bend
By Jeff Blank, Jay Moore, with Deborah Harter
Photographs by Laurie Smith