Pear-Bourbon Sauce

Pear-Bourbon Sauce:

1  shallot, finely diced

2-tablespoons olive oil
1/4-cup quality bourbon
1/3-cup chicken stock

1/4-cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon honey

Over medium heat sauté shallot with olive oil until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes, remove pan from heat and add bourbon and chicken stock. Replace pan over heat, add vinegar, honey, molasses and brown sugar and reduce to a sauce like consistency. Finish sauce by whisking in diced pears and butter. Season with salt and keep warm.

Quail:

8 semi-boneless quail salt and pepper to taste

Praline Pecan Bacon Topping:

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1-tablespoon chili powder

3/4-teaspoon coarse black pepper

1 cup Texas Pecans, coarsely chopped 16 slices bacon

Heat oven to 375°. In small bowl combine brown sugar, chili powder, pepper and pecans. Place bacon slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake about 12 minutes until just a little more than half cooked. Drain and place strips on paper towels to remove excess fat.

Increase oven to 425°. Remove wings from quail and tie legs together. Season with salt and pepper. Wrap each quail in two bacon strips, securing bacon with a toothpick. Place bacon-wrapped quail in a roasting pan and bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 325° and bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle pecan praline mixture on top of bacon (press mixture onto bacon to adhere). Continue to cook, uncovered, for 12 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Garnish with baby greens or parsley, if desired.