Instructions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

On a baking sheet arrange in separate piles, the sesame, peppercorns, coriander, cloves, juniper berries and cinnamon and toast until the sesame seeds are golden colored (about 25 minutes).

In a mortar and pestle or a hand coffee grinder, finely grind the toasted spices along with the bay leaf. Add the coffee, salt and sugar and continue grinding till all is well pulverized.

Lightly rub the spice mixture over the skin of the quails. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

In a saute pan, heat the oil and cook the quail for about 5 minutes, browning on all sides. If necessary, do in two batches and keep quail warm while completing the cooking. Quail should be cooked medium-rare and still be juicy and pink.

Serve two quail per person in a pool of the Vanilla Scented Butter Sauce. Garnish with thinly-sliced parsnips which have been quickly deep fried until crisp and sprigs of mint.

This recipe yields 6 servings.

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