| 6 quail |
The quail should be immersed in the sauce for ten minutes to infuse them with the flavour, and then removed. |
Truss the quail, so that the bird keeps a nice shape after being browned in butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper to taste. Bake the quail in a moderately hot oven for about 20 minutes, until they are well-browned and tender, then leave them to stand. |
The quails are placed in on a platter, the sauce is poured over them, and they are garnished with a single perfect rose in the centre and rose petals scattered around the outside; or they can be served in individual dishes instead of a platter. |
| 3 red roses |
|
| sauce |
| 12 red roses |
Remove the petals carefully from the roses, trying not to prick your fingers, for not only are the little wounds painful but the petals could soak up blood that might alter the flavour of the dish. |
After the petals are removed from the roses, they are ground with the anise in a mortar. |
Add these to the chestnut puree. To thicken the sauce slightly, you may add two teaspoons of cornflour. Last, strain through a fine sieve and add no more than two drops of attar of roses since otherwise it might have too strong a flavour and smell. As soon as the seasoning has been added, remove the sauce from the heat. |
| 2 tablespoons anise |
|
| 12 chestnuts |
Separately, brown the chestnuts in a pan, remove the skins and cook them in water. Then, puree them. |
| 2 cloves garlic |
|
Mince the garlic, |
| 2 teaspoons butter |
|
and brown slightly in butter until it is transparent. |
| 1 pitaya |
Grind the pitaya. |
| 2 tablespoons honey |
|
| salt, to tase |
|
| 2 drops attar of roses |
|