My dad used to hunt, and quail was his favorite game, so grilled quail regularly appeared on our dinner table. When pressed for time, my mom would marinate the quail in store-bought Italian dressing spiced up with chile powder, grill it, and serve it as an appetizer followed by carne asada. In this recipe, I create the marinade from scratch, with just the right amount of chile powder. Squeeze a lime over the quail and don’t be afraid to eat it with your hands—it’s messy but delicious! This marinade is also great with chicken.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Chile-Italian Seasoning
Preparation
Step 1
To make the marinade, whisk the canola oil, Parmesan cheese, vinegar, chile-Italian seasoning, and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl.
Step 2
Rinse the quail and pat dry. Arrange the quail in a baking dish that is large enough to hold them in one layer, and add the marinade, turning the quail to coat them well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator, turning the quail once or twice, for at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
Step 3
Remove the quail from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Prepare a grill to medium-high heat, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
Step 4
Remove the quail from the marinade (discard the marinade), and pat dry with paper towels. Season the quail with salt and pepper, and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. The meat should still be slightly pink in the center. Serve with lime wedges.
Chile-Italian Seasoning
Step 5
Combine the oregano, parsley, basil, thyme, salt, garlic salt, celery salt, onion powder, sugar, chile powder, and pepper in a glass jar. Screw the lid on tightly, and shake until the mixture is well blended. Store at room temperature for up to 6 months.
