Curried Quail with Vanilla Sauce

Quail and vanilla? Whaaaaaaaat? Trust us, it works! Serve this up at your next dinner party and wait for the accolades to roll in!

Ingredients:

• 4-6 semi-deboned quail
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) Madras curry powder
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) avocado oil, plus more for searing
• Salt and pepper
• 3 vanilla beans
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground coriander
• 2 cloves garlic, grated on a rasp
• 1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup (120 ml) chopped mint leaves
• 2 passion fruit, pulp only

Method:

• Place the quail in a resealable bag. Add the curry powder, garlic powder, and avocado oil. Season with salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake to distribute the seasonings. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
• Allow the quail to come to room temperature. Warm a film of avocado oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, split the vanilla beans and scrape the seeds out with a paring knife. Place the seeds in a bowl, discarding the pods. Add the cumin, cardamom, coriander, garlic, and yogurt. Stir to combine. Add the mint and passion fruit pulp. Stir again and set aside.
• Sear the quail until browned on both sides, roughly 3-4 minutes per side.
• Allow the quail to rest for 5 minutes.
• Serve immediately with dollops of the yogurt sauce on the side.