Quail Eggs And Asparagus Food

QUAIL EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS AND WALNUT MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Bring 2 quarts of water to a gentle boil. Carefully lower quail eggs into the water; cook for 2 1/2 minutes. Remove and shell immediately.
• Add mustard, sherry vinegar and whole egg to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Blend for 3 seconds. In a cup with a spout, mix the 2 oils. With the motor of the food processor running, add the oils in a thin stream. Mayonnaise should thicken after about 3/4 of the oil has been added. Season with salt and pepper.
• Let eggs come to room temperature. Place ham slices on 6 small plates and spread 1/6 of mayonnaise over each slice. Cut eggs in half and place 3 halves on each plate. Garnish each egg with a small piece of black olive, and garnish each plate with 3 asparagus tips.

SALMON, ASPARAGUS AND QUAILS' EGGS WITH TARRAGON DRESSING

Steps:

• Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the quails' eggs and boil for 2 minutes. Carefully remove with a slotted spoon, cool under cold running water and peel immediately.
• Cook the asparagus in a pan of boiling, salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water to stop the cooking and set the colour. Set aside.
• Slice each egg in half lengthways and set aside with the asparagus.
• For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, arrange two pieces of salmon on each place, sit a little of the lettuce next to it. Arrange three quails' egg halves alongside, cut-side up and sprinkle with celery salt.
• Arrange the asparagus spears alongside the salmon with a wedge of lemon. Pour over the tarragon dressing and serve.

MINI SMOKED HADDOCK SCOTCH EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS DIPPERS & WATERCRESS MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• For the Scotch eggs, tip the potatoes into a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then tip in the haddock and then the quail's eggs. Cook the eggs for exactly 2 mins, then remove them and cool under cold running water. Continue cooking the haddock until it flakes, and the potatoes until soft. Drain the fish and potatoes well, then mash with the butter and milk until you have a thick mash. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, peel the eggs. When everything is cool, pat out spoonfuls of mash mix and mould them around the eggs so that they are completely encased. Roll the covered eggs in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Chill for 1 hr to firm up, or overnight if you're assembling ahead.
• For the watercress mayonnaise, blitz the watercress with the lemon juice until finely chopped, then stir through the mayonnaise. Blanch the asparagus for 4 mins, then drain under cold water. This can all be done a day in advance.
• To serve, heat a good layer of sunflower oil in a frying pan. Fry the eggs until crisp on all sides, then drain on kitchen paper. Serve with the asparagus and watercress mayonnaise for dipping everything into.

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH QUAILS EGGS & ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Firstly bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Adding the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then drain well and refresh in cold water. Add one tablespoon of the butter and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heating the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the quails' eggs and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Heating the remaining butter in a separate frying pan on a medium heat. Season the scallops, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. When the butter is foaming, add the scallops and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown on both sides and just cooked through.

SUMMER VEGETABLE & QUAIL'S EGG TART

Steps:

• Tip the bread mix into a large bowl and add the oil and 175ml lukewarm water. Knead for 5-10 mins until you have a smooth, elastic dough, then cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.
• Whizz the peas and cream cheese together in a blender or food processor until smooth, then stir in the soured cream, egg, shallots and sugar with some seasoning. Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Add the broad beans for 30 secs, then lift them out with a slotted spoon into a bowl of cold water. Gently squeeze the bright green beans out of their thick skins and discard the skins. Meanwhile, add the leeks to the boiling water for 1 min 30 secs, then add the asparagus and boil for 1 min more. Drain well.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll the dough out on a large baking sheet to a rectangle 14 x 40cm, pressing down the centre to create a thicker 'crust' around the edge. Spread the pea cream in the middle of the tart and bake for 20 mins. Scatter over the leeks, asparagus and broad beans, then carefully crack over the eggs - you can arrange the veg to create little pockets if it helps. Drizzle with rapeseed oil and bake for another 5-7 mins. Scatter a few pea shoots over and serve straightaway, cut into thin slices.

WARM SALAD OF ASPARAGUS, BACON, DUCK EGG & HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Heat grill to High and cook the bacon for 5 mins until crisp, then snip with scissors into pieces. Set aside. Cook the eggs in boiling water for 8 mins (5 mins for hen's eggs), drain and plunge into ice water, to cool as quickly as possible.
• Make the dressing: whisk all ingredients together with seasoning. Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the base of each spear - it'll break at the tender point.
• Just before serving, put the nuts and bacon into a warm oven. Halve the eggs and season. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil; cook the asparagus for about 5 mins, until just tender. Drain, then divide between plates. Add egg halves, sprinkle with nuts and bacon, then drizzle with dressing in a zigzag pattern.