Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Serves
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the quails
- 100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
- 1 tbsp barbecue sauce
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, roughly chopped
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
- 4 quails, spatchcocked (ask your butcher to do this for you)
- 100ml/3½fl oz lemon juice
For the zhug
- 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped
- 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- 50ml/2fl oz olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cauliflower salad
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- light tahini
- 30ml/1fl oz pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley, for garnish
Method
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To make the quails, put all the marinade ingredients into a blender and blitz. Put the quails into a large, non-reactive bowl, cover with the marinade and rub into the meat. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight, to marinate.
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Stir together the zhug ingredients in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
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Preheat the grill to high. Transfer the quails to a baking tray or roasting tin and grill for 6–8 minutes, turning half way through, until cooked through with no trace of pink.
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Meanwhile, to make the cauliflower salad, blanch the florets in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold water.
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Heat the oil in a large frying pan and shallow fry the florets until golden.
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Transfer the cauliflower to a serving dish, drizzle with tahini and pomegranate molasses, and garnish with the parsley.
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Pile the quails onto a serving dish and drizzle over the zhug. Serve with the cauliflower salad.