Quail Egg

An egg produced by a quail that is small and oval shaped with a speckled outer shell ranging in color from dark brown to blue or white. The shells are very thin and easily cracked, so caution is necessary when handling the eggs and cracking either fresh or hard boiled eggs. Since the shell is not a thick-walled as chicken eggs and is more porous, the moisture in the egg white will evaporate as the egg ages, causing the amount of white to decrease over time. This lack of egg white may occur when using the eggs for a recipe, so it is always best to have extra eggs prepared for use if necessary.

The eggs are often hard boiled or poached and added to salads or served as appetizers garnished with caviar and creme fraiche. When served for appetizers, the eggs are placed in lightly salted water that is boiling. Cooked for one minute, the water is removed and replaced with cold water to cool the eggs. They are then peeled and possibly sliced if desired to be served with caviar and creme fraiche. Some prefer prior to serving, to crack the shells but not remove them and soak the eggs for several hours in a luke warm bowl of black tea before being served as an appetizer with minced kumquat peel and caviar.

Five quail eggs will typically equal the weight of one chicken egg. When selecting choose those with specks of brown or blue on the egg shell. When storing, keep the eggs refrigerated. Quail eggs are available in many Asian food stores.