Quail Egg Benefits: Nature’s Perfect Finger Food
fib and Photos By Janice Cole, Minnesota
There ’ randomness something about flinch eggs that makes them difficult to resist. The bantam brown-speckled gems with their greenish blue interiors look more like candy Easter eggs or Martha Stewart props fix to nestle into moss-lined branchlet baskets than real eggs for cook and eat. But quail eggs are so much more than eye sugarcoat ; quail egg benefits include season, nutriment, and versatility. They are prized around the world for their dainty .
Domesticated quail have been raised for thousands of years. Quail species are mentioned in the Bible and testify of quail domestication has been found in ancient egyptian artifacts. These bantam birds were easy to raise, and systematically produced timbre alimentary eggs and kernel, making them the sustainable option for many small farmers through the centuries. nowadays in the United States and Europe, quail and their eggs are much viewed as epicure delicacies fit only for extra-special occasions and elegant affairs. however, in Asia, quail is considered merely one more protein source and their eggs are much the cheapest in the market, which makes them easy to find. They ’ re frequently sold at street markets consumed as stand-up snacks or quick and cheap lunches or dinners. And of course, they ’ re besides a basic in sushi bars around the global.
Quail Eggs vs. Chicken Eggs
While quail eggs have however to become mainstream here in the U.S., they are easily found in asian markets and in many big or upscale grocery store stores or co-ops and I urge you to search them out. Quail eggs are bantam, weighing only about 9 grams ( 1/3 of an ounce ). In comparison, the average bombastic chicken egg weighs about 50 grams ( 1 3/4 ounces ). They are about one-fifth the size of a chicken egg so that it takes five flinch eggs to equal a chicken egg. One of the many benefits of quail eggs is that they are perfect for appetizers and finger food, but their versatility extends to any cook method acting and they can be poached, fried, soft-boiled or hard-cooked. Best of all, children love them ! They ’ re just the size for a child ’ sulfur fingers and appetite .
Quail Egg Flavor and Uses
Quail eggs taste like to chicken eggs, but they have a slenderly higher symmetry of egg yolk to white. Quail eggs are versatile and can be cooked in a diverseness of ways ; however, I ’ ve found that it ’ s their adorable size that makes them sol especial. Keep that in mind when deciding how to serve them. While scramble quail eggs taste fabulous, they ’ re not as spectacular to your guests as quail eggs served solid either fried, poached or hard or soft-cooked. however, no count what the fudge method acting, be careful of your time. Because of their size, they can easily be overcooked, causing the egg white to become baffling and the egg yolk dry. When cooked correctly, I find the whites are so tender they taste about satiny .
Quail eggs are rarely used in baking. Their size makes them unmanageable to substitute for chicken eggs. however, if you have an overabundance of flinch eggs and would like to try your hand at baking them, measure the eggs by weight ( 1 3/4 to 2 ounces for one big chicken testis ) or volume ( three tablespoons per large chicken egg ; two tablespoons egg white and one tablespoon egg yolk ). Quail eggs could be used to make little amounts of custard but again you should measure the eggs by weight unit or volume when substituting for chicken eggs .
Quail Egg Nutrition
A benefit of quail eggs is that they pack a lot of nutrition into their bantam package. According to the USDA, when compared per equal units to chicken eggs, they are higher in iron, B12 and vitamin bc than chicken eggs and slightly higher in protein and morning star. They are besides higher in fat because of the larger proportion of egg yolk to egg white, but most of the fatten is monounsaturated ( full fatten ). There are many sites that claim quail eggs are a miracle remedy. They claim eating quail eggs will cure cancer, baldness, impotence, tuberculosis, allergies and more. As with all claims please do your own research using scientific nutrition data from the USDA .
Cracking a Quail Egg Shell
The speckled shell is amazingly thick with a tough inner membrane that carefully protects the egg. The beauty is that while flinch eggs may look like delicate china, they ’ ra tough little things that are as easy to handle as any chicken testis and amazingly harder to break .
I ’ ve found the easiest way to open flinch eggs is to pierce the top goal of the testis with the tip of a humble knife creating a 1/2-inch incision ( being careful not to pierce the egg yolk ). Use your fingers to pull the top of the shell off the egg. This creates less shell breakage than simply cracking the shell on the side of a roll or the counter. It besides easily pierces the membrane allowing the testis to slip properly out into a small bowl. Or, if you use a lot of quail eggs, you might want to invest in flinch testis scissors. This appliance slices the clear right off the quail testis. Once you open the quail egg carapace it reveals not only the egg but besides the surprise bluish green color of the at heart of the shell — dramatic !
Cooking Quail Eggs:
Hard or Soft-Cooked Steamed Quail Eggs:
I ’ ve found the best way to soft-cook or hard-cook quail eggs is to steam them .
• Place a steamer basket in the bottom of a saucepan filled with 1-inch of water ; cover and bring to a boil.
• Add the eggs to the steamer basket, cover and boil :
– 3 minutes for soft-cooked eggs
– 5 minutes for hard-cooked egg
• immediately plunge the eggs into a bowl of frost water before skin .
Fried or Poached Quail Eggs
• Use low heat following your prefer method .
• Cover and cook on low estrus 2 to 3 minutes or until desire doneness. ( If eggs seem to be cooking besides firm even on low estrus, remove from the heat and let sit covered until of coveted doneness. )
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Quail Egg Recipes:
Quail Eggs in Ramekins with Melted Leeks, Asparagus, and Mushrooms
Quail eggs are the perfective size for topping individual ramekins. Two sunny-side-up eggs well sit side-by-side on clear of the mouth-watering leek, mushroom, and asparagus filling for an elegant brunch entrée .
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup minced shallots
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
1/2 cup shredded Gruyère or Parmesan tall mallow
1/2 cup sliced leek ( white and sparkle k parts )
1/2 cup asparagus tips, blanched
8 quail eggs
Directions:
Heat oven to 400ºF. coat 4 ( 1/2-cup ) ramekins with cooking spray ; put on baking sheet .
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in medium frying pan over medium heating system. Add shallots and sauté 1 hour, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms ; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until tender, stirring constantly. lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of the cream ; bring to a boil. Boil gently 1 to 2 minutes or until slenderly thickened. spoon over bottom of ramekins ; scatter with cheese .
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in average frying pan ; add leeks and cover. Cook over low heat 2 minutes or until wilted. Remove cover and continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes or until voiced. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons cream and cook until slightly thickened ; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste. spread over mushroom assortment in ramekins. Arrange asparagus tips over the top. ( Ramekins can be done-ahead to this point. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before baking. )
correct before baking, place 2 flinch eggs over each ramekin. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until mushroom-leek assortment is hot and eggs are to craved doneness .
4 servings
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Sriracha-Sesame Quail Eggs
This appetizer is the perfective jazz band : it ’ randomness easy-to-assemble and will wow your guests .
Ingredients :
1/4 cup Sriracha sauce
2 teaspoons asian sesame oil
3 tablespoons flannel sesame seeds ( toasted )
3 tablespoons bootleg sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse ocean strategic arms limitation talks
2 to 3 twelve hard-cooked quail eggs
2 to 3 twelve wooden skewers
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Prosciutto and Quail Egg Bruschetta
This italian interpretation of bacon and eggs is a huge hit with everyone. Toasted bread topped with crisp prosciutto and fried eggs is perfection. There ’ s no indigence to salt the eggs as the prosciutto carries the temper. If prosciutto is not available, use bacon rather .
Ingredients :
12 ( 1/2-inch ) slices baguette
Olive vegetable oil
3 to 4 slices prosciutto
12 flinch eggs
fresh dill for garnish
Directions :
Heat enough olive oil to liberally cover the bottom of a medium to large frying pan. Toast baguet slices in olive vegetable oil, in batches if necessity, until lightly browned. drain on newspaper towels .
Heat broiler. Line baking sheet with foil ; coating with cook spray. Arrange prosciutto over foil. Broil 1 to 3 minutes or until prosciutto is slightly charred around the edges and lightly crisp ( it will continue to crisp as it cools ) .
Heat enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of a medium nonstick frying pan until hot. Reduce estrus to abject and add eggs. Cover and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until desire doneness, being careful not to overcook eggs .
Arrange pieces of prosciutto over toast baguet, top with strong egg ; garnish with dill .
12 appetizers
Directions :
Stir together Sriracha sauce and sesame vegetable oil in little cup. Combine white and black sesame seeds with sea salt in small bowl. Insert 1 wooden skewer into each flinch egg. lightly dip into the Sriracha sauce mix and roll in sesame seed concoction. Serve with remaining Sriracha sauce mix for dipping .
2 to 3 twelve appetizers
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Simple Beet-Pickled Quail Eggs
These gorgeous gems are easy to make when you start with pickled beet liquid. They are perfect on salads, as appetizers with beer, wine or martini or barely as a bracer in the good afternoon .
Ingredients :
1 cup pickled beets with fluent ( about 1/2 of 16-oz. clash )
1/4 cup crimson wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 twelve hard-cooked quail eggs
Directions :
Combine all of the ingredients, except the eggs, in a modest constrict bowl or glass measure cup. Gently stir in the eggs, making sure the eggs are wholly covered with the melted. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or until the eggs are brilliantly pink on the external with a thin pink rim on the at heart of the egg ( when cut in half ) .
12 pickled eggs
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Pesto-Quail Egg Stuffed Mini Peppers
These pepper-poppers are a colorful appetizer ; filled with basil pesto, flinch eggs, and cheese, they ’ re something new and fun to serve with drinks. For those searching for a fiddling more zest, use jalapeño chiles in topographic point of the mini sweetness peppers.
Ingredients :
Mini sugared bell peppers, assorted colors, halved lengthways, seeds and veins removed
Basil pesto, homemade or purchased
Quail eggs ( 2 eggs per mini-bell pepper )
Shredded Parmesan tall mallow
Directions :
Heat oven to 400ºF. Line small rim baking sheet with foil ; coat foil with cook spray. Arrange bell pepper halves, cut-side up, on baking sheet. ( Cut a small slit off the buttocks if necessary to help peppers stand up-right, being careful not to cut through the pepper. ) Spoon a little come of pesto into each half ; top with testis. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake 5 to 6 minutes or until cheese is melted and eggs are to coveted doneness .
Copyright Janice Cole, 2016