Roast Quail

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon hot or mild Turkish red pepper pastelemon juice
¼ teaspoon thyme leaves
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
8 shallots or baby onions, peeled but left whole
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oven-ready quail


Instructions

Mix everything except the quail together in a large bowl, then coat the quails
in the marinade. Leave to marinate for an hour or so. Preheat the oven to
220°C (430°F/gas 8).

Place the marinated quail, lemon wedges, garlic and shallots in an oven
tray in a single layer, breast-sides up. Roast for 20–25 minutes, basting the
meat once after 15 minutes, or until the birds are golden brown and the skin
is crisp. 

Once they’re cooked, let the quail rest in the pan for five or 10
minutes before serving with the juices spooned over. Serve with bread.