How To Cook With Quail Eggs

Move over, pomegranates. Say goodbye, Kurobota pork chops. The food gods have ordained quail eggs to be the new hip ingredient, and these morsels are appearing on menus around the world in surprising and delicious ways. But what may be more surprising is how easy it is to add quail eggs to your home menu, and in doing so, add a delectable twist to familiar dishes.

If you live in a major city, you can generally find quail eggs at grocery stores with a gourmet or health food bent. Another source to check would be Chinese supermarkets, as quail eggs figure more prominently in Asian cooking. If local stores fail you, it is possible to order quail eggs online, often directly from the farm. Just remember to order more than you need in case of breakage. Quail eggs cost more than conventional chicken eggs—depending on where you purchase, expect to spend between 40 cents and a dollar (20p – 50p) per egg.

The actual eggs are small and fine (about ¼ of the size of a chicken egg), with speckled shells that come in a range of colors from brown to white, with even some light blue. Quail eggshells are very dense, harder to crack than those of their chicken cousins. Once cooked, quail eggs taste similar to chicken eggs, but with a richer flavor—many gourmet cooks believe that quail eggs are offer the best and most delicate flavor of all eggs. Also, the yolk-to-whites ratio is way higher, boosting the texture and flavor. Some people with chicken egg allergies find that they can tolerate quail eggs.

The beauty of cooking with quail eggs is that it's quite similar to cooking with chicken eggs. There are some variations, of course, mainly due to the smaller size of the quail egg. Whether you're boiling, frying or scrambling quail eggs, be aware that they cook more quickly that regular eggs. For instance, when frying a quail egg, you'll want to heat the pan in advance, then turn off the heat and crack the eggs. Allow the whites to set and the yolks rise-- usually about 3 minutes.

The easiest way to try cooking with quail eggs is to substitute them for regular eggs in standard egg dishes. Hard-boiled quail eggs can be made by covering the eggs with cold water by 1 inch and bringing the water just to a boil. Then let the eggs stand, covered, for 6-7 minutes. To take advantage of the quail egg's flavor, eat these hard-boiled morsels with toasted sesame seeds and sea salt. Likewise, you can poach quail eggs for one minute for a fancy and delicate Eggs Benedict. Just miniaturize the dish by using small, grilled slices of baguette instead of English muffins. Experiment with flavor in lunchtime dishes by putting quail eggs in a Nicoise Salad or Salad Frisée.

Once you're familiar with the taste and consistency of cooking with quail eggs, experiment with new dishes and flavor combinations. Quail eggs are often featured alongside caviar, especially in appetizer dishes. They also complement seafood, tasting especially fine with raw or seared Ahi tuna and scallops. If you're making a seafood crepe, try accenting the dish by adding a fried quail egg on top. For a creamy soup or bisque, garnish the bowl with a half boiled quail egg. Soufflé dishes are well plated by adding half soft-boiled quail eggs to each side of the dish or against the soufflé. And Asian dishes often feature quail eggs as ingredients—try preparing a Korean bibimbop rice dish or Japanese soba noodles with quail egg as an ingredient.

Whether you're using quail eggs in a complex gourmet dish or on their own, dinner guests will be charmed by the diminutive size of the eggs and impressed by your gourmet touch.