For the quail: Place the quail in a nonreactive pan or large bowl.
Whisk the remaining ingredients together, pour over the quail and marinate overnight.
For the salad: Preheat a grill.
Cover the peach halves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and grill them on each side for 1 minute. The skin should slide right off. Slice and set aside.
Grill the quail for 3 minutes on each side or until cooked medium.
Place the shallots, vinegar and remaining oil in a bowl and mix together. Add the spring mix and season with salt and pepper. Place the dressed spring mix on the bottom of a serving dish.
Top the greens with the grilled peach slices. Then place the grilled quail on top of the peaches and top with microgreens, ricotta salata and cream basil leaves.
2 quarts water
½ cup sugar
1 lemon, halved
½ cup salt
2 Tbsp. hot sauce
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire
1 Tbsp. minced thyme
1 Tbsp. minced oregano
1 Tbsp. minced basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
For the salad: 1 ripe peach, cut in half and pit removed
5 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 marinated quail (see above)
½ tsp. minced shallots
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 cups spring mix
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup microgreens, lightly dressed
7 large shavings ricotta salata
7 leaves Pesto Perpetuo (aka cream basil)
This article appears in Jul 1-31, 2009.