Black Garlic and Lychee Glazed Quail Skewers with Crispy Shallots

Instructions

1. 1

   Debone the quail and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Thread the quail pieces onto skewers.

   ~20 min
2. 2

   In a small saucepan, combine the peeled lychees, black garlic cloves, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and grated ginger. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract maximum flavor. Discard solids. This is your glaze.

   ~15 min
3. 3

   Place the quail skewers in a shallow dish. Pour about half of the prepared glaze over the skewers, ensuring they are well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator.

   ~30 min
4. 4

   While the quail is marinating, thinly slice the shallots. Toss the shallot slices with cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the shallots in batches until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

   ~25 min
5. 5

   Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill the marinated quail skewers for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and slightly charred.

   ~10 min
6. 6

   In the last minute of grilling, brush the quail skewers generously with the remaining glaze.

   ~1 min
7. 7

   Remove from grill, and arrange skewers on a serving platter. Sprinkle generously with the crispy fried shallots. Drizzle with a touch of sesame oil and season with black pepper.

   ~2 min