The chefs at Kiawah Island Golf Resort and a recipe for Palmetto Quail from Jasmine Porch
Our last stop of the day was to Mingo Point with Chef Brian McGowan. Kiawah developers have created a venue at this location by the Kiawah River for pubic oyster roasts and barbecues. It is also a beautiful setting for private resort functions. The wood-burning grills built for this venue were made locally. If you travel to Kiawah, be sure to catch the sun setting over the marshes at Mingo Point. It is spectacular.

Mingo Point at the Kiawah River

Chef Brain McGowan with the wood-burning grills at Mingo Point
It is not always easy to support local farms and producers when operating a larger scale operation like Kiawah Island Golf Resort. It takes more effort, coordination and expense to source smaller amounts of food from more places. The culinary team and the developers are committed to being responsible members of the community by preserving the natural beauty and bounty of this very special place.
Thank you so much to Chefs Wysong, McGillis, McGowan and Cote for taking time out of your busy schedules to work with us. We enjoyed spending time with you and getting to meet some of your local suppliers.
Chef McGillis has agreed to share his recipe for this gorgeous dish, Palmetto Quail. Jasmine Porch is known for its Lowcountry specialties and Palmetto Quail is a guest favorite at the restaurant. In this video, Chef McGillis gives us the step-by-step instructions and also shares some cooking and plating tips. Mr. B caught a few moments of us on tape before we thought he was recording. Geez… 😉

Life’s a beach at Kiawah Island
Disclosure – Kiawah Island Golf Resort provided a media package for our visit. I was not asked to write any articles about my stay and have in no way been compensated. The opinions expressed regarding our experience are my own.

Palmetto Quail
This beautiful dish is a guest favorite and Lowcountry specialty at Jasmine Porch, one of the restaurants in The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.
Ingredients:
Quail:
4 each 3.5 oz semi-boneless quail
1 quart brioche, small diced and toasted in the oven
2 each large shallot, brunoise
1/2 each carrot, brunoise
1 each carrot, peeled and roughly chopped (for puree)
1 each leek, minced
1 tablespoon tarragon, minced
1 tablespoon chive, finely chopped
1 tablespoons basil, chiffonade
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1/2 each teaspoon celery seed
4 each smoked ham hock, (meat picked from bone)
1 tablespoon diced Tasso ham (smoked sausage can be substituted if necessary)
1 cluster Oyster mushroom (cremini or shiitake may be substituted if necessary)
1 gallon chicken stock (recipe below)
6 ounces chicken reduction sauce (recipe below)
1/2 cup each English peas, blanched (frozen sweet peas may be substituted if necessary)
1 each yellow squash, sliced .5” thick
1 each lemon, juiced
Chicken Stock
3 pounds chicken wings, roasted in oven for 30 minutes @ 400 degrees
2 each carrots, peeled and chopped
2 each large onions, peeled and chopped
3 each leeks, peeled, cleaned and chopped
1 sachet bay leaf, peppercorn, parsley, thyme
4 tablespoons tomato paste
Directions:
Chicken Stock:
Add all ingredients to a heavy gauge pot and cover with cold water. Bring to 200 degrees and turn heat to low while constantly skimming. Simmer for 3 hours. Strain through cheese cloth and reserve.
Chicken Reduction Sauce:
Place 3/4 gallon of chicken stock in a heavy gauge pot. Over medium heat reduce by 70% or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, season with salt if necessary.
Stuffing:
Place a small amount of oil in a medium sized sauté pan and begin to slowly render the ham hock meat. Remove from pan and add the half of the shallot, the brunoised carrot, and leek. Sauté on low until aromatic, 2-3 minutes. Add the toasted brioche and begin to ladle the chicken stock into the mixture (about 4-5 oz) or until moist. Season with salt, pepper, celery seed, and herbs. Chill.
Carrot Puree:
Place the roughly chopped carrot in a sauce pan and barely cover with chicken stock. Simmer until completely tender. Remove the carrots from the cooking liquid and place in a blender. Pour a small amount of the cooking liquid in the blender with the carrots and puree until smooth (add as much liquid as necessary to puree). Season and reserve.
Quail:
Pat the quail dry. Lightly season the cavity of the quail with salt and pepper. Stuff and tie with butchers twine. Season with salt and pepper. With enough oil to coat the bottom of a heavy gauge sauté pan, caramelize all sides of the quail. Place in a 350 degree oven and roast to an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
Vegetables:
Over moderately high heat caramelize the squash and mushrooms. Once caramelized add the tasso ham. Render briefly (30 seconds..be sure that there is a little bit of oil for the tasso to render in). Add shallots and cook for 10 seconds more. Deglaze with the lemon juice. Add blanched peas and ladle 2-3 oz of chicken stock into the vegetables. Add the remainder of the herbs, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
Plating
Drag a tablespoon of carrot puree down the center of the plate. Place the squash on one side of the carrot puree and the caramelized mushrooms on the other. Spoon the pea, Tasso ham, and shallot mixture in the middle. Place the quail on top and spoon 1.5 oz of the reduction sauce on the plate. Serve.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Ryley T. McGillis
Chef de Cuisine at Jasmine Porch and Loggerhead Grill
The Sanctuary
Kiawah Island, S.C.
What an experience! Looks fabulous!
Hi Brian,
Yes, we had a great trip and experience while at Kiawah. The chefs were very gracious to work with and the restaurants were excellent. The scenery speaks for itself. 🙂
Gwen
What a fabulous post, Gwen. Kiawah is on my list of places to visit, and I just moved it up on the list. I love their focus on local foods and their appreciation for the gorgeous environment. Keep up the great work with your blog.
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you so much for your comments. Kiawah is a must visit, especially since it is not too far away from where you live.
We were impressed with the efforts by the chefs and the developers to work with the local farmers and producers. It is great to see this at a larger scale resort property.
Please let me know how much you enjoy your visit when you return!
Gwen
Wow that is some community they have – and it is great to see the whole food community as a whole working together and supporting each other. As you say, it effects their carbon footprint but it they work hard to produce and serve the best products there are! It is really interesting to see how they all intertwine. Great post, Gwen and delicious quail!!
Thank you, Jamie. It was impressive to see the way the chefs work together to support the community of farmers and fisherman on the island and in the region. It all seems to work very well for everyone involved.
Gwen
Okay, now I need to convince the Hubby that we are moving to Kiawah Island after this summer. I think their busy season is our off season? I hope! Looks amazing!
Hi Marnely,
Their high season is the same at Martha’s Vineyard, but you might want to think about it as an alternative one summer. I know you would enjoy it. It’s a very different environment for the Vineyard.
Gwen
I enjoyed reading your article. Each time I visit The Sanctuary, I never want to leave. Jasmine Porch restaurant is my favorite. I am a bit biased because my son, Franke Jones is the Sous Chef. Every single thing I have eaten there has been scrumptious! What a wonderful, serene, beautiful place to visit.
What an amazing place! I look forward to visiting one day.
Incredible incredible incredible! I love the philosophy of sourcing from local producers and the food simply looks amazing!