Categories: Poultry 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
      6    Plump young quails                       Lemon juice 
      6    Big flat mushrooms; plus...              Parsley 
      6 oz Mushrooms for the stuffing               Chives 
      6 oz Butter                                   Tarragon 
      3    Garlic cloves (or more)         
  
  To make the duxelles, first chop the 6 oz mushrooms plus the stalks from 
  the big flat mushrooms on which you will sit the quails.  Chop finely, 
  using a knife, not a food processor.  Mix in 1 very finely chopped garlic 
  clove, about 9 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 3 tablespoons snipped 
  chives and 1 heaped tablespoon fresh tarragon (or a generous 1 1/2 teaspoon 
  dried tarragon if fresh is not available).  Cook the mixture in a little 
  butter over moderate heat for 3 minutes or so, stirring often. Season well 
  with salt, pepper and about 2 teaspoons lemon juice. 
   
  Let the duxelles cool before using it to stuff the birds.  Spread it gently 
  between the flesh and the skin, all over the breast area, to plump up the 
  quails prettily.  Secure the flap of neck skin under each bird with a 
  wooden toothpick.  If the skin is torn, put the stuffing into the body 
  cavities instead.  Tie up the legs of each bird to keep it neatly shaped. 
   
  Make about 5 oz garlic butter and reserve it.  Choose a roasting tin or 
  baking dish just large enough to take the 6 flat mushrooms side by side. 
   
  When ready to cook, melt a nugget of the garlic butter in the roasting tin. 
  Turn the birds in it to coat them with fat, then arrange them, breast down, 
  on a rack suspended across the roasting tin.  Bake at 425 F (220 C) gas 
  mark 7 for 15 minutes. 
   
  Put the mushrooms in the tin, arranging them gill side up, and dot them 
  with the rest of the garlic butter.  Put the rack of quails back on top of 
  the tin and turn the birds breast side up. Position the birds carefully, 
  placing each one above a mushroom so that the meat juices will drip on to 
  the mushrooms during cooking.  Bake for 20 minutes or so until the birds 
  and mushrooms are perfectly cooked. 
   
  Sit the birds on the mushrooms and serve straight away, or cover and keep 
  hot at 250 F (120 C) gas mark 1/2 until ready to serve.  Rice, couscous or 
  burghul, and crisp peppery watercress go well with this dish. 
   
  Source: Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British), September 1988. 
  Typed for you by Karen Mintzias