Moroccan · Tagines
Quail Tagine with Grapes
Meknes sits amid Morocco's main vineyards, and in early autumn cooks pair small braised quail with fresh grapes for a delicate tagine that finishes almost like a pan sauce — the grapes bursting sweet-tart against the gamey little birds. It is a quick tagine, since quail cooks far faster than lamb or chicken.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 8 whole quail, cleaned
- 300 g seedless grapes, halved
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- Pinch of saffron, bloomed, and 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp honey
- 40 g butter and 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Brown the quail
Season the quail well and brown them on all sides in the butter and oil in a wide pan or tagine base.
- 2
Build the sauce
Add the onion, ginger, saffron water and a splash of water, cover, and simmer gently 20–25 minutes until the quail are just cooked through — they dry out quickly, so watch the time closely.
- 3
Add the grapes
Stir in the honey and half the grapes, and cook uncovered 8–10 minutes so the sauce reduces and the grapes soften slightly.
- 4
Finish
Add the remaining grapes fresh at the very end so some stay plump and juicy against the cooked ones.
- 5
Serve
Spoon the glossy sauce and grapes over the quail and serve immediately with bread.
Chef's tips
- Quail cook fast and dry out easily — check for doneness at 20 minutes rather than assuming a long braise is needed.
- Adding grapes in two batches, some early and some late, gives a mix of jammy and fresh textures in the finished dish.
- Baste the quail often as they braise; their small size means little natural fat to keep them moist.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use chicken instead of quail?
Small chicken thighs work, though the cooking time will run longer, around 35–40 minutes, and the delicate gamey flavour will be milder.
What grapes work best?
Small seedless green or red grapes both work; halve them so they release some juice into the sauce as they cook.