Marinated quail with raisins and pine nuts

Method

1. Using kitchen scissors, cut out and discard the backbones from the quails. Open them out slightly, put skin-side up on a chopping board and press down with the palm of your hand to flatten the birds. Put in a glass or ceramic bowl with the vinegar, stir to coat, then cover with cling film and leave to marinate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
2. Heat the grill to medium-high. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a low-medium heat, then fry the red onion until soft and translucent (about 7 minutes). Remove the quails from the vinegar (reserve it for the sauce). Add the garlic, toasted pine nuts, raisins/ currants and chopped rosemary to the onions.
3. Cook for a few minutes more, then add the reserved vinegar and the wine. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for about 10 minutes until the flavours in the sauce are infused and the volume has reduced a little. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, put the quails on a large rack over a roasting tray. Cook under the grill for 5-10 minutes on each side, depending on whether you like your quail pink or well done. Put on a serving dish or plate. Stir the juices left in the roasting tray from the quails into the onion sauce, bring to a boil, then pour over the quails. This is delicious served with gnocchi, pumpkin mash or polenta.