Tired of chicken? Chef Andy Knudson gives an alternative with this zesty grilled quail and sauce vierge-inspired salad.
By late summer, you may be feeling a little bored of all your grill staples. Enter this bright, flavor-packed dish from Executive Chef at Tillie’s, Andy Knudson. Instead of the typical chicken, Chef Knudson uses local quail, which brings a more nuanced, gamey flavor. The grilled vegetables are then mixed with fresh herbs, capers, and castelvetrano olives to create a sauce vierge-inspired salad. Best of all, this is a one pan meal with both the meat and vegetables charred in our Grill Frying Pan for a dinner that truly celebrates the bounty of summer.
Tired of chicken? Chef Andy Knudson gives an alternative with this zesty grilled quail and sauce vierge-inspired salad.
Andy Knudson
For the quail, pat dry and brush with olive oil, then season both sides with salt, your seasoning of choice, and lemon zest. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
For the grilled vegetables, gather 3 medium bowls. In 1 bowl, toss radishes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt. In the second bowl, toss okra and sliced red onion with ¼ cup olive oil and 2 tsp. salt. In the third medium bowl, toss tomatoes with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. salt.
Prepare your grill, preferably charcoal, for medium-high heat. Place a Grill Frying Pan on the grill to preheat for a few minutes. Create a foil boat for the tomatoes (the top should be open), add them, and place on the grill. Cook until tomatoes are softened and jammy, 12–15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can roast tomatoes on a Sheet Pan in a 400F oven for 12–15 minutes.)
Add the radishes to the hot Grill Frying Pan and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and charred, 5–6 minutes. Transfer radishes to a large bowl to cool. Add okra to the Grill Frying Pan and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and charred, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to bowl with radishes. Add tomatoes to bowl with radishes and okra and let cool for 10–20 minutes.
For the quail, wipe out the Grill Frying Pan and return to grill. Working in batches and starting breast-side-down, grill the quail until the internal temperature registers 165F, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest. Slice the quail lengthwise down the center of the breast.
While the quail is resting, prepare the salad. To the bowl with the cooled grilled vegetables, add parsley, scallions, basil, olives, chopped red onion, capers, half of the arugula, and the reserved radish greens. Add the olive oil and toss to combine. Add the rest of the arugula and more olive oil, if desired.
To serve, add half of the quail to a Serving Platter and top with the okra and radish salad. Arrange the rest of the quail over top and sprinkle with additional cajun seasoning, if desired.
