Quail with Artichokes: Quaglie coi Carciofi

Ingredients

• 8 quails, cleaned and glove-boned
• 1 cup balsamic-honey marinade, recipe follows
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 slices prosciutto
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 8 artichokes, tough outer leaves and choke removed, cut into wedges and held in acidulated water
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed flat

Directions

Marinate quail in marinade for 1 to 2 hours.

Season each quail inside and out with salt and pepper and wrap each one in a slice of prosciutto, securing with toothpicks. In a 14 to 16-inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Add the quails, a few at a time, and brown over high heat, adding some of the wine with each batch of quails. When the last batch is browned, return all to the pan and add the artichokes and garlic. Add more wine if necessary to maintain moisture in the pan, and cook, covered until the quails and artichokes are tender.

Balsamic-Honey Marinade:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

In a bowl large enough to hold both the marinade and the quail, mix all the ingredients together.

Yield: 1 cup