Prepare it

Take the quail out of the fridge around 1 hour before cooking. Using kitchen paper, wipe the outside of the bird and inside the cavity. As quail has quite lean, dry meat, it can be marinated at this point. Otherwise, season inside with salt and pepper then, if you like, push in some flavourings or stuffing (fruit-based stuffings such as plum or prune work well). Tie the legs together with string. As well as brushing with melted butter or oil, you can also wrap the breast with pancetta, Parma ham or vine leaves to prevent it from drying out.

Alternatively, you can spatchcock them before cooking (particularly for grilling or barbecueing as they will cook faster that way). Remove any ties, cut out the backbone with a pair of kichen scissors, then use the flat of your hand to push down along the length of the bird, flattening it out. Then push two skewers across the width of its body, going in through the leg on one side and coming out through the leg on the other; the skewers will keep it flat while cooking.