Teller’s Sausage Stuffed Quail with Vin Cotto

• 4 whole semi-boneless quail
• 1/4 pound (4 ounces) mild Italian sausage
• 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
• Salt and black pepper

Vin Cotto:

• 4 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 whole cloves

Rinse the quail in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Combine the Italian sausage with the breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl. Stuff the cavity of each quail with equal portions of the sausage mixture. Season the birds with salt and pepper and tie the legs together with a piece of kitchen twine. Place each bird, breast side up, in a large stainless steel (oven-proof) skillet or a braising pan. Cover with aluminum foil or a lid and bake the quail in a 375-degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

While the quail bakes, prepare the Vin Cotto: Combine the red wine, honey, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to 1 cup. Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves.

When the quail is done, remove the foil or lid. Broil the quail under the oven-broiler about 6 inches from the heat source, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the quail to a platter. Deglaze the skillet with the Vin Cotto, stirring up the browned bits, over medium-high heat for 1 or 2 minutes.

Spoon some of the Vin Cotto over each quail and accompany with the Creamy Sage Polenta (recipe follows). Serves 4.

Creamy Sage Polenta

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion (sweet variety)
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned, drained
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal

• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage leaves
• 1/2 cup mascarpone
• Salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in 6-quart pot. Add the onion and corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken broth, raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Whisk in cornmeal slowly. Stir the mixture constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until thickened.

Stir in the fresh sage and mascarpone and season with salt. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Torta con Le Mele (Apple Cake)

• 150 grams sugar (3/4 cup)
• 3 eggs
• 80 grams butter (6 tablespoons), room temperature
• 300 grams self-rising flour (2 3/4 cups), sifted
• 3 apples, peeled, cored and cut into small dice

• Whipped cream or ice cream

Combine the sugar and eggs in a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of water simmering over low heat (or use a double-boiler pan). Cook, stirring until the mixture reaches 110 degrees, or until the mixture ribbons when the spoon is lifted. Remove the bowl from the heat source and beat the mixture with an electric mixer until the volume triples in size. Add the soften butter and mix well. Fold in the sifted flour and diced apples using a large spoon.

Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, shaking out the excess flour. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cake golden and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the cake on cooling rack. Serve the apple cake with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: Consistent baking relies on precise measuring of ingredients. For best results, use weight instead of volume measurements when preparing this recipe.