NEMESIS! ‘An inescapable agent of one’s downfall’. Quail eggs – and my obsessive desire to master them – will ultimately be my downfall, as I can’t see how I’ll possibly ever succeed against these maniacal little beasts… *sigh*
I’m not even sure how I was introduced to these insufferable little ovals of madness, but now every time I’m down at our local market, Granville Island, I have to grab my tiny little 2doz tray and continue to conquer this foreign land.
What makes these little devils so disagreeable? The thin, ultra brittle shells have a thick, tacky, inner coating which makes them impossible to simply crack. Instead they crumble AND stick at the same time. UGH.
To get in, the “easiest” way is to score around the top with a sharp knife, and hope against all odds it doesn’t shatter as you peel back the top which would leave tiny shards of pretty blue shell in your egg.
pro TIP
theakhomekitchen
To ‘crack’ a quail egg, use a sharp knife to score around the top 1/4 to 1/3 of the egg shell, careful not to go through, then peel back the top.
Is there a better way? ANYONE?! Open to suggestions! LOL
Is it even worth it?
pro TIP
To Poach Quail Eggs:
1. Pour shelled eggs directly into a shallow bowl of vinegar.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
3. Swirl the water into a vortex, and carefully pour ALL the eggs/vinegar into the boiling water.
4. After PRECISELY 1 min 20 sec, use a large slotted spoon to bring them all out onto a paper towel.VOILA!
theakhomekitchen
The best part of a poached egg is the soft, runny yolk. Quail eggs are almost entirely yolk, which is a pain when you’re trying to avoid breaking them, but delicious in your dishes for pillowy pops of creamy goodness. Delicately poached, these little gems add that silky yolk texture without being overly “eggy”.
Poached Quail Egg Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Asparagus – white or green
- 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 3 Tbsp melted butter
- 1 dozen Quail eggs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Grilled Pancetta, Lardons or ultra-thin sliced/salted Beet Chips
- salt/pepper
- 1/2 tsp Ancho chili powder
Instructions
PREP INGREDIENTS
- Pre-heat oven to 350d. Place Panko crumbs on a pan and roast until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
- Poach a dozen Quail eggs and put aside. See pro TIP >
- Grill your chopped pancetta, or lardons in a pan, or prep ultra-thin sliced and salted beet strips by frying in a Tbsp of oil
ASPARAGUS
- Pour half of the melted butter on a flat pan.
- Add asparagus tips (break bottom third off – see pro TIP!) lined up back and forth, top to bottom.
- Pour other half of melted butter over the asparagus. Sprinkle with salt/pepper, Ancho chili powder, and Parmesan cheese.
- Place in oven at 350d for 10-15 minutes (check with a fork – should go through, but not have become mushy).
- Once cooked, top with Panko crumbs, Quail eggs and pancetta, lardons or beet chips.
I suggest trying them on cheesey crab melts for breakfast, or on asparagus with bacon – or salty beet chips – as a side dish! I’ve also recently tried them as a Poached Quail Egg Ravioli, but that’s a whole other story…
