​Perhaps you or someone you know, enjoys eating wild game. My husband does eat venison, quail and pheasant. Preparing wild game is not everyone’s cup of tea as they may find it difficult to find a recipe or, when they find one, they’ll wonder if its good.  
 
A friend gave me several packages of dressed quail. I did find the website “Hunter, Angler, Gardner, Cook,” and made a few of their recipes. This time I took a chance, to see The New York Times Cooking  web page had any recipes; in fact, they did! I selected a recipe by Mark Bittman for Quail Roasted with Honey, Cumin and Orange Juice. This recipe used pantry staples of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh squeezed orange  juice (I cheated in used Wegmans Premium Orange Juice, no pulp, 100% orange juice), honey, minced garlic and cumin. The recipe received favorable reviews from other cooks. 
​The recipe takes only 40 minutes to prepare. The quail is rubbed with extra-virgin olive oil then seasoned with salt and pepper.  The balance of the ingredients makes a sauce that is brushed on the quail prior to roasting and then midway through. The birds took a little longer than the 20 minutes as they weren’t fully defrosted. After a bit more time in the oven, we were ready to eat. The preparation was tasty, however, these little quails were a bit tough. The last time we had them, they were better, these may have been older.
 
For our intimate Thanksgiving, my daughter found online a recipe for chocolate brownie pudding from the website “What’s Gaby Cooking.” The recipe takes one hour and ten minutes from start to finish. You’ll need unsalted butter, eggs, granulated sugar, Dutch cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, Kahlua, vanilla extract and coffee extract. The Kahlua and coffee extract can be omitted or you can substitute one ounce of expresso. Gaby wasn’t clear when questioned as to whether to use fresh brewed espresso or ground espresso. As I had instant expresso powder in my pantry, I diluted one teaspoon into one ounce of hot water. Also, the pudding is baked in a cast iron skillet, I used a ten inch and I’m glad I did. While Gaby says you can use a glass baking dish, the results may not be quite like hers.
 
Follow the tips that Gaby gives for preparing the recipe. Also, she says that after 60 minutes, the pudding may look under-baked, mine didn’t. I left mine on the counter all day and served at room temperature.
 
How was it? Oh my goodness, to die for! Soft with a little chew around the edges, rich chocolate flavor, not sweet, decadent, indulgent and sensational. Everyone had seconds. My three-year-old granddaughter said, “My plate is empty, can I have more?” This was an easy to make recipe. If you’re looking for that ONE chocolate dessert to serve during the holidays, this is it.
Quail Roasted with Honey, Cumin and Orange Juice
By Mark Bittman
The New York Times Cooking app
Featured in: Tiny, Simple And Flavor Packed: A Bird With A Hint Of The Wild
 
Ingredients
 
8 quail, patted dry and left whole
 Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
 
Preparation
 
  1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Rub the quail with half the olive oil, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Put them breast side up in a roasting pan just large enough to accommodate them. Combine remaining ingredients and brush about half of this mixture over the birds; put in oven.
 
  1. After about 10 minutes of roasting, baste with remaining mixture, then continue to roast until done, about 10 minutes more. Serve birds hot, with pan juices, or warm or at room temperature.
​Chocolate Brownie Pudding (whatsgabycooking.com)
 
Chocolate Brownie Pudding
 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
 
 
1 cup unsalted butter
4 large eggs
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Kahlua
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons coffee extract
Vanilla ice cream for serving
 
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9-inch skillet.
  2. Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
  3. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.
  4. In your mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. After 10 minutes, reduce the speed to low and add the Kahlua, vanilla, coffee extract, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix very slowly until everything is just combined. Slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.
  5. Pour the mixture into the skillet and place it in a larger baking pan. Add warm water to the pan until it comes halfway up the side of the dish Carefully place it into the oven, making sure not to slosh the water around and bake for 60 minutes.
  6. When it's time to take it out - don't fear - it's absolutely going to look like it's under-baked. (that's normal) Remove the skillet from the water and place in the fridge to cool. Serve in the skillet with ice cream on the side.
Notes:
Can be eaten warm or allow it to totally set up
Can leave out Kahlua and substitute 1-ounce espresso