Asian Quail with Soba Noodles & Snap Peas

This marinade and sauce is full of Asian flavors and goes surprisingly well with quail.  The soba noodles and snap peas are good enough to stand on their own for a quick lunch of leftovers!

Asian Quail with Soba Noodles and Snap Peas

Ingredients

Quail

• 4 quail
• 1/4 cup avocado oil, + 2 Tbsp. for cooking
• 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 2” ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 orange, juiced

• Soba Noodles & Snap Peas

• 8 oz. soba noodles
• 2 cups snap peas or snow peas
• 4 scallions, sliced diagonally
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water, slurried
• 1 tsp. black sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. white sesame seeds

Serves 4
Cook Time: 45 minutes
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4 quail
1/4 cup avocado oil, + 2 Tbsp. for cooking
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
2" ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 orange, juiced
8 oz. soba noodles
2 cups sugar peas, snap peas, or snow peas
4 scallions, sliced diagonally
1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water, slurried
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
1 tsp. white sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients (except quail) in a mason jar and shake to combine.  Pour into zip top bag and marinate quail in the refrigerator for no more than 2 hours.
Remove quail from refrigerator after 1 1/2 hours to bring it to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 400.  Start water boil for soba noodles.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add avocado oil and sear quail once oil begins to shimmer (save your marinade).  Once quail is seared on both sides put in greased pan with a little marinade in the bottom for basting and roast until the quail registers 165 - 15-20 minutes.
While your quail cooks, saute peas in a little sesame oil in a deep-sided skillet.  Peas will turn bright green after a minute or two, at that time add the marinade and cornstarch slurry and stir to combine (mixture needs to come to a boil for the cornstarch to activate).  Drop soba noodles into boiling, salted water and cook according to package directions (generally 2-3 minutes).  Once noodles are cooked add to sauce and peas (save some of the cooking water); dilute noodles and sauce with about 1/4 cup pasta water.
Serve soba noodles with peas along with the quail.