Quail with barley, butternut puree and watercress

First make the marinade.

Mix all the ingredients together and rub
the quails generously with it.

Place the quails in an airtight container
in the fridge and let them marinate for at least 6 hours and preferably
overnight.

Remove the container from the fridge and
allow to rest at room temperature for at least an hour before cooking.

Roast the birds whole in a pre-heated
oven for 10 mins at 240°C.

Reduce the heat to 180°C and roast the
birds for a further 5 mins.

Remove and allow to rest for 10 mins out
of the oven before serving.

To make the barley, fry the onion and
garlic in a pan, and cook for about 4 minutes.

Add the pearl barley and stir well.

Add the chopped tomatoes and the chicken
stock.

Bring everything to the boil, reduce the
heat and simmer for roughly 30 mins, stirring occasionally.

Once the liquid has been absorbed and the
pearl barley is soft and tender, it is ready.

For a creamier final product, stir in
some cream or extra stock.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in
the rosemary and coriander just before serving.

To serve, place a few spoonfuls of puree
on the plate first, then scoop barley on top, followed by the watercress and
then the quail.

Lastly, to make the butternut puree, mix
all the spices and sugar in a bowl.

Toss the butternut in the spices and
place in a casserole dish or oven tray.

Dot the butternut evenly with the pieces
of butter and roast in the oven covered in foil at 180°C for 30 mins.

Remove the foil for the last 10 mins to
brown the butternut slightly.

In a deep pot, fry the garlic and onions
in the butter until soft and translucent.

Place the roasted butternut in the pot
and mix with the fried onions.

Pour the vegetable stock into the pot with
the vegetables and simmer for a few mins.

Blend the vegetables and stock with a
hand blender until all chunks have been pureed.

Taking care not to splash yourself.

Add the cream bit by bit as you blend
further.

You want the puree to remain relatively
thick, not watery.

Season with salt. If the puree is too thick,
add more stock and blend further.

Recipe extract from My Food, My Journey by Lesego Semenya.