Quail in Ancho Chile & Honey Sauce

I adapted this luscious dish from a recipe from Chicago's fabulous iSalpicon! restaurant. Most quail is semi-boneless, only some bones in the drumsticks and wings, so it's very easy to fully enjoy every delectable morsel. Plan on two birds per person. Prep time includes marinating the quail overnight.

• Ready In: 24 hrs 35 mins
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 4  semi-boneless quail

• Marinade

• 4  tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 ounces  pure dried ancho chile powder
• 2  tablespoons  chopped garlic

• For the sauce

• 3⁄4 tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1⁄4 onion, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons  pure dried ancho chile powder
• 4  tablespoons honey
• 1  cup chicken broth
• 2  teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in
• 2  teaspoons cold water
•  salt
• 1  pinch ground cinnamon
• 1  pinch ground cloves

Directions

1. In a plastic zipper bag, combine the olive oil, 1-1/2 ounces ancho chile powder, and garlic with the quail and refrigerate overnight.
2. To make the sauce: saute the onion in the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan until onion is transparent and soft but do not brown.
3. Add the ancho chile powder, and pinches of cinnamon and cloves and stir together for a minute or two; then add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and add honey, stirring over low heat until dissolved.
5. Stir in the cornstarch dissolved in water and whisk sauce until thickened.
6. Season with salt to taste.
7. To prepare the quail: Remove quail from marinade.
8. On a very hot grill or skillet, cook quail skin side down for about 5 minutes; flip over and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until medium-rare (some pink is fine).
9. Serve with ancho-honey sauce drizzled over.