Fig-and-Balsamic-Glazed Quail

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard country-style
• 0.5 cup cooking wine dry red
• 2 tablespoons cooking wine dry red
• 11.5 oz fig preserves 
• 0.5 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 3.5 oz semi-boneless quail 
• 8 servings kitchen string 

Equipment

• sauce pan
• oven
• roasting pan
• aluminum foil
• cutting board

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 45
2. Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Reserve half of fig mixture; cover and chill.
3. Let remaining fig mixture stand at room temperature.
4. Tie ends of quail legs together with string.
5. Place quail on an aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan or in a shallow roasting pan, and sprinkle with salt.
6. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.
7. Brush quail generously with room-temperature fig mixture. Reduce oven temperature to 40
8. Bake quail 30 minutes or until leg meat is no longer pink, basting with fig mixture every 10 minutes.
9. Place reserved chilled fig mixture in a small saucepan; stir in red wine, and cook over low heat, stirring often, 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
10. Serve quail with sauce.
11. Note: To make ahead, prepare recipe as directed through Step Cover and chill up to 8 hours.
12. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before proceeding with Steps 4 and
13. TRY THIS TWIST!
14. Fig-and-Balsamic Glazed Cornish Hens: Substitute 4 (1 1/4- to 1 1/2-lb.) Cornish hens for quail. Prepare Step 1 as directed; omit Step Rinse hens with cold water, and pat dry.
15. Place hens, breast sides down, on a cutting board.
16. Cut hens through backbone using kitchen shears to make 2 halves. Proceed with recipe as directed in Steps 3 through 5, increasing second bake time (at 40
17. to 45 minutes.
18. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Hands-on time: 20 min.; Total time: 1 hr., 40 min.