Why not both at the same time! It doesn't really matter because here you'll find out how you can cook the eggs and the meat to come up with a dish that everyone will be impressed with.
QUAIL EGGS
Quail eggs are commonly eaten all around the world. In some parts of Asia and Europe they’re considered a delicacy and then in some other parts of the world, such as Brazil, they’re quite common and are often used as a topping on hot dogs and hamburgers.
They have a wonderful speckled shell making it great for a garnishing and the eggs are terrific for an appetizer. The taste is quite similar to a chicken egg and some people would say that they’re slightly richer in taste. This may be due to the eggs having a larger yolk to white ratio than chicken eggs.
Typically 4-5 quail eggs equal 1 chicken egg and you can generally use them in any way you would a chicken egg, but due to their small size they cook really quickly. Their size and higher yolk content also make them difficult to substitute for chicken eggs when baking cakes etc.
QUAIL MEAT
Quail meat is darker than the white meat we know to come from chicken and turkey. It's tender and quite flavoursome with a taste that’s a little gamier than chicken but not as strong as duck. The meat to bone ratio is quite good, however, one quail will yield around 80-100g of meat therefore, depending on the dish and the course, more than one quail may be needed per serving.
COOKING QUAIL
Quails can easily overcook and dry out, therefore, cooking methods should be quick over high heat and the meat cooked to medium-rare to retain the moisture. High heat will also assist in browning and crisping the skin which will enhance the flavour and the final presentation. It’s also a good idea to use minimal seasoning and shorter marinading times to preserve the natural flavour of the bird otherwise it can be overpowered with added flavours.
They’re commonly cooked and served whole with bones attached, which is the quickest and easiest way as far as preparation goes. You can take this one step further and spatchcock, or butterfly, it which will allow you to keep the bones in but have the ability to cook it flat in a pan or on a grill. Instructions on How to Spatchcock Poultry are at the bottom of the page.
POACHED QUAIL EGGS WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
Poaching is probably not a typical way to cook quail eggs due to their size, but due to their size it was too tempting not to.
Poaching the Eggs
1. Fill a deep frypan with water, 2 Tablespoons of vinegar and 1 Tablespoon of salt.
2. Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to a very low simmer.
3. Carefully crack the eggs into the water and cook for 1 minute. They cook very quickly so keep an eye on them. Put aside some shells to use as a garnish if you wish.
TIP: Quail eggs are quite tough to break so it may be easier cracking them into a small cup then guiding them into the water with a spoon.
Toast
1. Simply toast some bread in the toaster and when done cut out four circles per slice with a cookie cutter.
2. Spread with a little butter and place onto a tray.
3. Just before plating up, put them under the grill to melt the butter and to warm back through.
Hollandaise Sauce
150ml water
150ml white wine vinegar
4 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 egg yolks
200g unsalted butter
1. Combine water, vinegar, pepper and bay leaf in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid has reduced to about 80ml (or 2 Tablespoons). Strain and cool down.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Use a metal spoon to skim any foam from the surface. The butter will separate leaving the oil floating on the surface. Pour the clear yellow oil into a jug and discard the milky residue.
3. Combine egg yolks and vinegar mixture in a large heatproof bowl. Place over a saucepan of simmering water but do not allow water to touch the base of the bowl. Whisk mixture until it turns a pale yellow colour and thickens up then remove the bowl from the heat.
4. Gradually add melted butter in a slow, thin, steady stream, whisking until mixture has thickened and incorporated the butter. If the sauce becomes too thick, whisk in a few drops of hot water. You want a thick custard-like consistency and a light fluffy texture.
Plating Up
Place eggs onto the toast circles and top with a dollop of hollandaise sauce. You can make Eggs Benedict by placing a small amount of ham underneath the egg or even Eggs Florentine by wilting some spinach with butter and placing it under the egg. Serve as is or sprinkle some chopped chives or parsley over the top. A fine sprinkle of paprika also looks quite nice.
SPICED WHOLE QUAIL EGGS
These are a great addition to the table for sitting next to the cheese, crackers, and dips platters when you have a small group of people around. They also look great cut in half and used in salads or tossed through a potato salad.
1 dozen quail eggs
1 Tablespoon pistachio nuts, crushed
1 Tablespoon macadamia nuts, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
2. Carefully place eggs into the water and cook for 4 minutes.
3. Remove eggs and run under cold or iced water for 5 minutes. Carefully crack the shell and peel off.
4. Combine remaining ingredients and then toss through the eggs.
OVEN ROASTED MOROCCAN SPICED QUAIL ON PILAF RICE WITH MINT SAFFRON YOGHURT
Serve with some wilted bok-choy or spinach. Serves 2-3 people.
Marinating and Cooking the Quail
4 whole quail
2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¼ - ½ cup olive oil
1. Bone and trim the quail and keep all bones and off-cuts.
2. Combine all ingredients and rub into the quail. Marinate in fridge for 2 hours.
3. Place on a tray and bake at 200ºC for 12 minutes.
Pilaf Rice
1 cup rice
1 onion, diced
½ carrot, small diced
1¼ cups quail stock (see below)
Rind and juice of ½ an orange
1 stick of celery, small diced
Salt
1. Sweat off onion and garlic in a saucepan until soft with little colour.
2. Add all ingredients including the onion mix and stock into a deep oven tray and cover with foil.
3. Place in a pre-heated 160ºC oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Break up the rice with a fork.
Quail Stock
Quail off-cuts from preparation stage
250ml white wine
750ml water
1. Place off-cuts of quail into a saucepan and heat until brown.
2. Add white wine and simmer until it reduces by half.
3. Cover with 1 litre of water. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to a slow simmer for 3 hours. Skim off any impurities that come to the surface with a spoon.
4. Strain through a fine sieve.
Mint and Saffron Dressing
½ cup Greek yoghurt 1 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1 small lemon 0.2g saffron (1 fifth of a packet)
2 Tablespoons chopped mint 2 Tablespoons hot water
Combine saffron with hot water and let sit for 5 minutes then mix all ingredients together.
WHOLE STUFFED QUAIL
4 boneless quail
½ cup rice
¾ cup water
Rind and juice of half a lemon
½ onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Cracked pepper
Salt
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup macadamia nuts, roasted and crushed
1. Pre-heat oven to 160ºC
2. Sweat off onion and garlic in a saucepan until soft with little colour.
3. Place rice, water, lemon juice and rind, salt, pepper, and onion mix into a deep oven tray and cover with foil. Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Then stir with a fork and let sit for 15 minutes.
4. Now add the egg, parmesan, parsley, and macadamia nuts.
5. Press together enough of the mix to fit inside the quail and hold together with either a skewer or truss it with some butchers twine.
6. Rub the outside with a little oil and bake in the oven at 180ºC for approximately 15 minutes.
HOW TO SPATCHCOCK, OR BUTTERFLY, POULTRY
This is quite easy to do with a quail, however, the same method can be applied to other birds such as chicken or duck.
1. Place the bird breast-side-down on a chopping board.
2. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears cut all the way up one side of the backbone starting from the tail end. Then cut all the way up on the other side to completely remove the backbone. This can be saved for stock or discarded.
3. Turn the bird over so that the breast side is facing up and the inside of the chicken is on the cutting board. Now press down firmly on the centre of the breastbone until you hear a crack. This might take a couple of goes to get it. Then just manipulate any other areas that may not be sitting too flat.