Birdie Mac n Cheese

Birmingham's Grub Crawl on lets foodies sip, sample, and shop downtown. The Bird and The Bread, located on 210 S. Old Woodward, is just one of the restaurants taking part in the tour on Saturday, May 16. 

Click here for tickets to the Downtown Birmingham Grub Crawl
Click here for more information on The Bird and The Bread

Chef Daniel Campbell offers his recipe for Birdie Mac n Cheese

2 cups radiator pasta
2 each whole quail
1 cup buttermilk
1 T minced garlic
2 T minced shallot
1 t chopped chives
2 t chopped thyme
2 t chopped rosemary
½ T smoked paprika
1 T Mexican style hot sauce (tapatio or other)
4 Cups rice bran oil (for frying)

For Pasta
Cook radiatore pasta is salted boiling water until it is fully cooked through (past aldente)
Spread Cooked Pasta on cooling racks and allow to dry out overnight
The pasta once dried out will closely resemble the uncooked pasta
Once Pasta is dried out heat oil to 350 degrees
In small batches drop pasta into oil
Pasta will puff up like rice noodles and float on top of the oil
Remove once they have puffed 

For Quail
Debone quail and cut into 8 pcs
Soak quail in buttermilk, garlic, shallots, herbs, paprika, and hot sauce
Dredge in seasoned flour and fry until done at 350

Truffle oil Powder
100 grams white truffle oil
31 grams tapioca maltodextrin
Pinch of salt
Mix oil into tapioca maltodextrin until fully absorbed

Cheese Sauce - traditional bechamel with Michigan Gouda