Bacon Wrapped Quail

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF, or if grilling, preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Cut 1 jalapeño into 14 strips, and cut 7 slices of bacon in half.
3. To prepare quail: season each breast with salt then top with 1 strip of jalapeño and some shredded cheese. Fold breast over then wrap entire breast with 1/2 piece of bacon. Secure with a skewer or toothpick. Continue until all breasts are wrapped.
4. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake or grill 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, dice 4 to 5 slices of uncooked bacon, and place in a skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Cook several minutes to allow some fat to render out and the bacon to begin to crisp.
7. Finely dice remaining jalapeño then add to bacon along with minced shallots and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add bourbon and carefully set on fire (using a stick lighter) to allow alcohol to cook off.
9. Once alcohol has cooked off, stir in maple syrup, mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Bring to a simmer for 1 minute, remove from heat and quickly stir in butter.
10. Serve sauce in a small bowl next to quail.