Egg Surprise

Yield: 12 (Entree: 4 per person) – 48 individual appetizers

Note: The quantity of quail eggs can be reduced and the extra sausage cooked as patties.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

48 quail eggs

 

Sausage Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 tablespoons minced spring onion bulbs

3/4 cup minced carrots

2 Tablespoons chopped water chestnuts

½ teaspoon grated garlic

½ teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons oyster sauce

½ teaspoon sesame oil

1/8 teaspoon 5 spice powder

¼ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon sugar

.75 pounds ground pork

3/4 cup minced shrimp

 

Bread Crumb Coating

2 cups bread crumbs

1 chicken egg, whisked

2 Tablespoons cold water

2 Tablespoons + flour

 

 

Steps:

 

The Day Before – Boil the eggs and prepare the sausage

Boiling the Quail Eggs:

1. Sort quail eggs. Quail eggs generally range between 8 and 15 grams. Medium-sized quail eggs are 12 grams. Twelve gram eggs require 2 minutes and 10 seconds to reach the runny yolk with a cooked white stage. A 8 gram egg requires 2 minutes.  A 15 gram egg requires 2 minutes and 25 seconds. It is important to boil the same size of eggs together for the exact appropriate amount of time, even if this means doing multiple batches, or some may be under and overcooked. Never hard boil a quail egg for this dish as the egg will cook again during the frying step.
2. Leave the quail eggs in a container on the counter for an hour to bring them to room temperature.
3. Prepare a large bowl of water and ice cubes.
4. Bring cold water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan. The water should boil, but not vigorously boil.
5. Use a slotted spoon to lower 10 of the eggs into the water.
6. Boil for the appropriate number of minutes (see above) based upon the size of the eggs.
7. Immediately remove the eggs using the slotted spoon the instant the time limit is reached, and immediately put them in the bowl of ice water.
8. Continue Steps 5-7, with the water boiling before repeating Step 5, until all the eggs are boiled and in the ice water.
9. Allow the eggs to become cold in the ice water before peeling.
10. Peel each egg individually by tapping the shell on the wide end and pulling the membrane and shell off the end. It will be easier to peel if the membrane is used to pull off  the shell. Do so gently so as not to break the delicate solid egg white.
11. Place each peeled egg to fill a single layer in a container. If necessary use multiple containers.  Cover.
12. Place the peeled eggs in the ice box.
13. This can be done the day before.

Prepare the Sausage:

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add oil. When the oil shimmers, add the spring onion and saute until transparent.
3. Blanch the carrot in boiling water until tender.
4. Strain the carrots and allow to drain. When cool enough to handle, press any water out of the carrots.
5. Combine the 5 Spice Powder, pepper, salt, sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame seed oil, soy sauce, and oyster sauce and stir to mix.  Sprinkle over pork.
6. Add spring onion, water chestnuts and blanched carrot to the pork. Fold ingredients into the pork with a fork until well mixed. Do not stir.
7. Cover and rest in the ice box for 24 hours.

 

Next Day Assemble and Frying:

Egg Assembly:

1. Depending on the number of eggs to be assembled, fit a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of 1 – 2 large casserole dishes.
2. Depending on the number of eggs to be fried, fit a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of a 3^rd, and possibly 4^th, large casserole dish.
3. Place a cooling rack over 1 – 2 jelly roll pans.
4. In a shallow bowl, whisk the chicken eggs with water until creamy and frothy to create an egg wash.
5. Sift 3 tablespoons of flour onto a rimmed plate, season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Place 1 cup of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
7. Place a bowl of cool water next to the assembly area.
8. Use about 1 rounded tablespoon of sausage per egg. Press into a flat, thin circle.
9. Roll an egg in flour to coat.
10. Place egg in center of flattened sausage circle.
11. Form the sausage around the egg, covering completely. Seal any seams.
12. Place the egg on the first lined casserole dish.
13. Continue steps 8-12 until all of the eggs are encased in sausage, using the second lined casserole dish if necessary to allow for a single layer of eggs in each casserole dish.
14. Wash hands with hot, soapy water. Dry hands.
15. Roll each encased egg in flour. As necessary, sift flour onto the plate of flour.
16. Dip floured encased egg in egg wash, coating the entire encased egg.
17. Gently place encased egg in breadcrumbs and spoon crumbs over top until covered. May require some gentle rolling of the encased egg to keep the breadcrumbs on. Add remaining crumbs as necessary. Dividing the flour and breadcrumbs in this manner helps to keep them drier while dealing with the egg wash.
18. Place breadcrumb encased egg on parchment paper in third large casserole dish.
19. Repeat steps 15-18 until all eggs are breaded, utilizing fourth casserole dish if necessary to keep eggs in a single layer.
20. Place breaded eggs in the icebox for an hour to firm up the breading and chill the inner egg.
21. Fill a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan a third full of vegetable oil (at least 3 inches deep).
22. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to 350º F (test with a few bread crumbs which will sizzle immediately and turn golden brown a few minutes after adding them.)
23. Remove the eggs from the icebox.
24. Heat oven to 250°F.
25. Place an individual egg on a slotted spoon and lower into the hot oil. Two to three eggs can be fried at a time so long as they do not become crowded. Turn each egg over gently and fry for between 5 and 7 minutes, until golden brown with a crispy crust.
26. Use a slotted spoon to remove each egg to the rack to drain.
27. Sprinkle each egg with coarse salt while still hot. Place the rack of eggs in the warm oven.
28. Repeat Steps 25-27 until all eggs are done. 

 

Serving:

1. Plate and serve while still warm or place in the icebox for later use. Do not reheat cold eggs.  They are very good hot or cold.
2. Serve with chutney sauce.