Eatdrink #54 July/August 2015

52 www.eatdrink.ca
Pickled Quail Eggs
Pickled quail eggs are perfect for a relaxing evening
or shared conversation with friends over beer. One
rainy fall day, we paired these tangy eggs with a craftbrewed
pumpkin ale, nutty crackers and cranberry
duck pâté. Or you can skewer them onto an olive pick
for a tasty cocktail garnish. They are so delicious that
it’s hard to sit back while the eggs pickle in the brine
— but it’s worth the wait!
2 dozen quail eggs, hard-boiled and peeled (see
sidebar)
12 cloves garlic, peeled
1¼ cup (300 mL) apple cider vinegar
½ cup (120 mL) white vinegar
½ cup (120 mL) white wine (Riesling is my pick!)
1 tsp (5 mL) coarse salt
1 bay leaf
10 cloves
½ tsp (2.5 mL) turmeric
½ tsp (2.5 mL) paprika
½ tsp (2.5 mL) whole peppercorns
1 Place hard-boiled, peeled quail eggs and peeled
garlic cloves in a 4-cup (1-L) glass canning jar,
leaving at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space at the
top. Bring vinegars and white wine to a simmer
on the stovetop in a stainless steel pot. Add salt
and spices and simmer for 5 minutes.
2 Warm the canning jar by running the outside
under hot water for 30 seconds to prevent the
glass from cracking. Pour hot liquid into jar
№ 54 | July/August 2015
over eggs and garlic so eggs are completely
submerged. Screw on lid and allow the eggs to
season for 1 to 2 weeks in the refrigerator before
eating.Pickled eggs will keep in the refrigerator
for up to 3 months.
Makes 2 dozen pickled quail eggs
Hard-Boiled Quail Eggs
Fresh hard-boiled eggs can be hard to peel, especially
quail eggs. For best results, follow these directions.
1 Make a pinhole in the large end of the raw egg
(this is where the air sac is located). Place eggs in
a single layer in a saucepan and cover with about
1 inch (2.5 cm) of cold water. Place the lid on the
pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and
let sit with the cover on for 10 minutes. Remove
the eggs from the hot water (leaving water in pot)
and put in a bath of ice water for 1 minute.
2 While the eggs are in the ice bath, reheat the
water to a simmer. After 1 minute of cold, place
the eggs in simmering water for only 10 seconds.
This will heat up and expand the shell away from
the cold egg inside. Crack the shell from the
large end where the pinhole was made. Gently
roll the egg between your hands to crack and
loosen the shell all over before starting to peel
under cold, running water.