Scotch Quail Eggs Recipes

SCOTCH QUAIL EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas 4.
• Cook the eggs in boiling water for 2 minutes, then plunge into cold water and carefully peel.
• Squeeze the sausage meat into a bowl, discarding the skins, then pick in the thyme.
• Beat the hen's egg in a shallow bowl, and place the breadcrumbs into another bowl.
• Divide the sausage mixture into 12 pieces, then shape around the eggs and carefully roll into a round.
• Roll each round in the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
• Very carefully heat 5cm of oil in a deep pan to 180ºC and very carefully fry the scotch eggs in batches for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden.
• Remove with caution and drain on kitchen paper, bake in oven for 5 minutes, then serve.

SCOTCH QUAIL EGGS

Steps:

• Toast fennel seeds on stove, keeping them moving constantly, until they turn a golden brown color, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool, then grind in spice grinder. Combine with salt, pepper, and parsley in small cup.
• If grinding your own pork, trim fat from pork and cut into 1" cubes.
• Combine the blend from Step 1 with the pork. If grinding your own pork, put in freezer (along with all grinder components except for the motor) for 1 hour before using in meat grinder. If not, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Start to heat up oil in deep fryer or pan deep enough to toally cover eggs, until it reaches 350°F.
• Place eggs in a pot of cold water that just covers the eggs. Heat until the water achieves a rolling boil. Remove pot from heat immediately, cover, and allow to sit for 3 minutes. Remove eggs from hot water and immerse in ice water. NOTE: this gives the eggs a soft center. Allow to rest for 5 minutes to hard boil.
• NOTE: quail eggs are incredibly hard to peel when soft boiled due to the thin shell. To peel egg shell, tap the bottom of one egg to crack it. Use a spoon to carefully peel the shell away from the egg while rotating the egg. Repeat for each egg. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• If grinding your own pork, remove pork from the freezer and grind.
• Divide the sausage into equal portions and flatten into a disc shape in the palm of your hand. Place the egg in the center of the disc and carefully wrap the sausage around them, ensuring that there are no openings.
• Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl. Whisk the remaining egg in another bowl. Roll each sausage wrapped egg in the egg wash to fully coat, then roll in the breadcrumbs until fully coated.
• Place sausage wrapped eggs in the fryer so they aren't touching, for 3 minutes or until golden brown.
• Combine mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice to create mustard sauce.

BAKED SCOTCH QUAIL EGGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F, gas mark 6).
• Boil water using a kettle or a pan.
• Carefully put the quail's eggs into a small pan, adding the vinegar. Once the water boils, pour in the boiling water straight away and cook for 2 minutes. Don't do it longer, they will go rubbery!
• Move the pan to the sink and run cold water over the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Tap, roll and very gently peel the shells off them. Sometimes it helps if you do this under cold water. The first couple are hard to do but you'll get the hang of it.
• Place the pork in a bowl with spices and mix together. Divide the meat into 12 equal portions.
• Take a piece of the pork mixture and flatten it in the palm of your hand.
• Place one of the quail eggs in the centre and stretch the pork mixture around to cover the egg completely, then roll between your hands to make an even-shaped ball. Repeat with the remaining eggs and pork mixture to make 12 balls.
• Place the flour, beaten egg and cornflakes/breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls.
• Dip each Scotch egg first in the flour to lightly coat, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the cornflakes/breadcrumbs. Repeat with the remaining eggs and place on a plate until ready to cook.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, making sure the pork mixture is cooked all the way through.
• Can be served hot or cold, goes well with mustard but I think they are tasty enough to skip it.

CHORIZO SCOTCH QUAIL'S EGGS

Steps:

• Fill a large pan with water and a good-sized bowl with iced water. Bring the water in the pan to a rolling boil, add the vinegar, then slowly lower in your quail's eggs with a spoon. Let them cook for 1 min, then quickly take the pan off the heat and let them sit in the water for 30 secs. Scoop the eggs out with a slotted spoon and plunge straight into the bowl of iced water. Leave them to cool for 10 mins while you prepare the coatings.
• Put the stale bread, almonds and parsley in a food processor and blitz until evenly chopped into very fine pieces, then season well and transfer to a shallow dish. Remove the outer casing from the chorizo and discard it, roughly chop the chorizo and put it in the food processor along with 1 hen's egg. Blitz briefly until just smooth. Divide the mixture into 12 patties and put them on a plate or tray. Set up 3 bowls with the flour in one, remaining egg, beaten, in the second, and the crumb mix in the third.
• Carefully peel the quail's eggs, taking care not to expose the yolk, which should be softly boiled. Place 1 chorizo patty on top of a piece of cling film. Flatten it as thin you can, then put a quail's egg on top. Use the cling film to help you draw the edges of the patty up and around the egg until it's completely enclosed. Twist the ends of the cling film together to tightly form it into a ball. Unwrap the Scotch egg and roll it first in the flour, then dip in the beaten egg, followed by rolling it in the crumb mix. Repeat the beaten egg and crumb mix step to ensure a generous coating, then repeat the whole process for the rest of the eggs.
• Half-fill a medium-sized saucepan with sunflower oil and heat it until it reaches around 180C. Lower in the Scotch eggs using a slotted spoon and fry for 5 mins. Only cook 2 or 3 at a time to avoid overcrowding. If the Scotch eggs are browning very quickly, turn the heat down, but do leave them in the oil for the full 5 mins to ensure the chorizo is cooked through. When done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb some of the oil. Repeat with all the eggs. While still hot but cool enough to be handled, cut each in half and arrange on a platter.
• In a small bowl, stir the mayonnaise and smoked paprika together, and serve as a dip on the side.