Vietnamese-Style Pan-Cooked Quail

Ingredients

• 8 quail
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup lime juice or rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup nam pla or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup peanut oil

Directions

Cut along the breastbone of each bird, then straight down through where the thigh meets body to get 2 semi-boneless halves from each bird. Combine other ingredients (except oil) and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.

Drain quail of marinade, and strain and reserve marinade. Pat birds dry. Add oil to a large skillet and turn heat to high. When oil is hot, sauté quail, skin-side down, until nicely browned, about 4 minutes. Turn and brown other side for 2 or 3 minutes, or until quail are cooked through. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

Lower heat and remove any excess from skillet. Add strained marinade, along with 1/4 cup water, and raise heat to high. Cook, stirring and scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Spoon over quail and serve immediately.