Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the quail in a baking dish and toss with the oil and lemon juice.
Combine the goat cheese, prosciutto and thyme in a bowl, and mix well. Stuff each quail with some of the cheese mixture and season on both sides with Essence. Place in a baking dish and bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes. You can also saute the quails in a pan for 3 to 4 minutes per side and then finish cooking in the oven.
Remove from the oven. Place 2 quail on top of each serving of Kicked Up Lentil Salade au Lardon, garnish with fried leeks, and serve immediately.
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover with water by 1-inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until just tender yet still firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and discard the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Place the lentils in a large bowl and set aside.
In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels, leaving 3 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add the carrots, celery, shallots and garlic, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the lentils. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, and 4 teaspoons of the vinegar, tomatoes, parsley, Essence, salt and pepper, and toss to mix well.
In a separate bowl, combine the frisee, arugula and bacon. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss the dressing with the greens and divide among 4 plates. Top with the lentil salad and the goat cheese. Serve.
Yield: 4 servings
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup
Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
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