Maître Jacques #11

4 nice-sized quailsSAUCE INGREDIENTS:80 g white onions, 80 g carrots, 30 g celery(branch), 1 clove garlic, 1 small bouquet garni,several crushed peppercorns, 8 cl cognac, ½ L redwine, 1 pinch dried beef broth, 4 tablespoons oliveoil, 50 g butter, salt and pepper, 50 g red beets, 4kumquatsGARNISH INGREDIENTS:16 kumquats, 12 small potatoes boiled intheir skins and then peeled, 100 g sweet corn,1 tablespoon paprika flakes, 8 small cherrytomatoes, 2 star anises,15 cl sugarGNOCCHI INGREDIENTS:125 g milk, 25 g fine semolina, 10 g butter, 1 yolk,10 g ParmesanMAKE THE MARINADE: Have your poulterer prepare and cut the quails in half, and ask to keep the wing tipsthighs, liver, neck and backbone. Peel and dice the carrots, beets and onions. Brown them in a no-stick panwith olive oil. Add the red wine, bouquet garni, crushed garlic, peppercorns, beef stock and seasoning.Cook the marinade for around 6 min then let cool. Pour over the quails and giblets and marinate for 15 min.Drain the quails and thighs, pat dry with kitchen paper. In a no-stick pan with a little olive oil, quickly sautéthe quail carcasses and giblets until golden. Flambé with cognac. Baste them with the marinade, add thevegetables and 4 chopped kumquats, along with 20 cl water. Simmer in a small pot over low heat for 15 min.Strain and reduce to 10 cl of sauce, then whisk in a little butter and olive oil and check the seasoning beforeserving. Season the half-quails with salt and pepper. Pan-fry them on the skin side over high heat for 5 min,then turn and cook slightly on the other side.GARNISH: Cut the 12 kumquats at ¾. Remove seeds and membranes and put them in a small pot with 20cl of water, the sugar and the star anise. Season with salt and pepper cook over low heat for 5 min with thecherry tomatoes. Slice 4 kumquats into small rounds and reserve on a plate.Stuff the remaining candied kumquats with kernels of sweet corn and place a slice of kumquat like a handle.Gently pan-fry the seasoned potatoes over low heat until golden.GNOCCHI: boil the milk in a small pot. Pour in the semolina and vigorously mix with a small whisk. Add allthe other ingredients. Season with salt and paper and stir profusely. To obtain a thickness of 8 cm, pour thepreparation into a small cooking sheet and chill in the refrigerator. Cut the gnocchi into triangles and bake in ahot oven with a little Parmesan or Gruyère until golden.PLATING: Arrange all of the garnishes around the edge of a large plate: kumquats, baby potatoes, cherrytomatoes placed on kumquat slices. In the centre, place the gnocchi, the quail thigh, the quail wings, sprinklewith paprika flakes and coat with sauce.