Quails on Mushrooms - quail plump

Method

• To make the duxelles, first chop the 6 oz mushrooms plus the stalks from the big flat mushrooms on which you will sit the quails.
• Chop finely, using a knife, not a food processor.
• Mix in 1 very finely chopped garlic clove, about 9 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons snipped chives and 1 heaped tablespoon fresh tarragon (or a generous 1 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon if fresh is not available).
• Cook the mixture in a little butter over moderate heat for 3 minutes or so, stirring often.
• Season well with salt, pepper and about 2 teaspoons lemon juice.
• Let the duxelles cool before using it to stuff the birds.
• Spread it gently between the flesh and the skin, all over the breast area, to plump up the quails prettily.
• Secure the flap of neck skin under each bird with a wooden toothpick.
• If the skin is torn, put the stuffing into the body cavities instead.
• Tie up the legs of each bird to keep it neatly shaped.
• Make about 5 oz garlic butter and reserve it.
• Choose a roasting tin or baking dish just large enough to take the 6 flat mushrooms side by side.
• When ready to cook, melt a nugget of the garlic butter in the roasting tin.
• Turn the birds in it to coat them with fat, then arrange them, breast down, on a rack suspended across the roasting tin.
• Bake at 425F (220C) (220 C) gas mark 7 for 15 minutes.
• Put the mushrooms in the tin, arranging them gill side up, and dot them with the rest of the garlic butter.
• Put the rack of quails back on top of the tin and turn the birds breast side up.
• Position the birds carefully, placing each one above a mushroom so that the meat juices will drip on to the mushrooms during cooking.
• Bake for 20 minutes or so until the birds and mushrooms are perfectly cooked.
• Sit the birds on the mushrooms and serve straight away, or cover and keep hot at 250 F (120 C) gas mark 1/2 until ready to serve.
• Rice, couscous or burghul, and crisp peppery watercress go well with this dish.