Quail mail

Well, that was delicious. Sorry, no photo, you'll have to use your imagination.

Here is what the poncey linen table-clothed menu would say:

Hand reared lemon & parsley marinaded quail, oven - roasted with baby aubergine and sweet potatoes, served on a bed of wilted nero kale, baby snake beans and blanched mung sprouts, and severed with a pepper, mustard and lime mayonnaise.

ALL of which was found in my garden this afternoon. You cannot get this in any restaurant I have ever been to. No food miles AT ALL! Finally, I've arrived at that point where I can honestly say, I made this meal with my own bare hands.

Excellent. I fkn love cooking.

Here's the recipe if you ever end up with all these ingredients in your fridge at once.

Catch, kill, pluck and gut two quail. (To gut, cut down the front from anus to neck, along the breast bone and lay carcass flat.Marinate for the afternoon in lemon juice, chopped parsley, salt & pepper, olive oil.

Pick a lemon (slice thick), a bunch of parsley (chop), A handful of baby aubergine (quarter), 1 shallot (diced), a couple of baby celery sticks (diced), one sweet potato (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes).

Put a baking dish containing  the flayed birds, legs up, a handful of fresh parsley, shallot, and a thick slice of Lemon on each. Beside them lay the sweet potato and aubergines and splash over the remaining marinade and cook till the vegies are soft. Take out the dish, turn the birds over and baste. Put back under the griller to brown.

Meanwhile, boil water and blanch the snake beans. At the last moment, blanch the kale and at the very last moment the sprouts. Drain.

Serve warm. lay the greens on the plate and place the birds in a nest of coiled snake beans. Serve the roast vegies with a dollop of mayo.

(OK, so the salt and pepper and olive oil I didn't make, but I make up for it by cooking with solar).