Creole Blend:

1 1/2 tablespoons of paprika
1 tablespoon of garlic powder
Fresh ground black pepper (I go heavy)
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
A pinch of ground All Spice
A pinch of ground coriander seed
Grind in Sea Salt

This is child mild mix: If you want to up the octan increase measurements by factor of 1 1/2 to 2 as your palate likes.

Mix the above in a medium size cook prep bowl or large bowl if doing whole pheasant, grouse of chicken. I use a fork and just get everything good and blended together.

The Dust:

In al large mixing bowl add 1 cup of cornmeal (fine) and 1/2 cup of all purpose or self rising flour. The flour does not make a difference. Right now add 3 tablespoons of Creole blend to the cornmeal and flour. Again, I use the same fork to mix everything all up, knock out any lumps.

To the Birds:

These were quail that had been skinned with wings and legs removed, and backbone removed (to remove back bone, cut off head, and then cut longways beside the back bone of both sides. The back bone will lift right out, you can then remove intrals) What you are left with and see in the photographs are just the bone in breast (I remove any bones that may be projecting from the body from being shot). Of course, you will want to remove all debris and feathers. I use very small tweezers for this. You can do this cook with whole, skin on birds as well.

In the medium size bowl that contains the creole mix minus the three tablespoons added to the dust, drop in one breast at a time and give a good coating of creole blend to each bird. Only do one bird at a time. I set each bird off to the side on a glass plate as I complete this part of the prep. Make sure you gently rub the creole blend into the mead and the rear of the breast.

Once All the birds are covered in creole blend, I add what remains of the creole blend to the creole blend, cornmeal, and flour. I gain make sure I mix the added creole blend up well. Of course, the more or larger birds you cook you may not have any creole blend left. No reason not to make some more (takes 3 minutes and add a little more to the dust right?). I dust the birds one at a time making sure they have good coverage in the dust. As I dust a bird, I set that bird on a dry surface. I may dust a bird twice because once it sets, the dust seems to be a little thin.

The Fry:

I use a large ceramic dutch oven, You could use an electric fryer, but why? Feel the dutch oven with about 3 inches of vegetable or peanut oil. Of course, I prefer peanut oil. Both work great. Bring the oil to temp, a simmering roll. I test the oil with a little of the dust, if the dust burns you know it is too hot.

You want the oil to just cover the the birds, If cooking bigger birds you will need more oil. If just a little bit of the bird is up above oil line (high point of breast that is okay). Fry the birds in two batches 4 and 4. It takes maybe 2 minutes per side. Remove and place on a toweled serving plate and hit with ground sea salt.

I dusted up cauliflower in the dust and flash fried that i the same oil after the birds were done as a side. Of course, hit the cauliflower with sea salt on removal.

Of course, you want the quail dry and room temp before you start seasoning and flouting them up.

L: That blend sounds great. So you roll the birds in the cornmeal/flour/creole mix dry -- not dipped in egg or anything wet to help the mix adhere?

The hard part is having the quail.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill/Oregon:
L: That blend sounds great. So you roll the birds in the cornmeal/flour/creole mix dry -- not dipped in egg or anything wet to help the mix adhere?

Yes dry, first creole then the flour with creole. Picture perfect if I could post pics.