Quail eggs are starting to pop up on menus all over the place, but I feel like there is still some deterring factor. I hit the nearest farmers' market on Saturday morning, and spotted trays of quail eggs at a market stall, but my basket was overflowing and I didn't quite know what I'd do with them. I suppose they are still relatively new to most of us, a bit like quinoa. But after a huge week of moving in to our new place, we had my parents over for Sunday brunch and my Mum, who had just been to their local markets, surprised me with a tray of quail eggs! They're wonderfully tiny and uniquely speckled, but really, they're just an egg. Before heading out on Sunday night, Josh and I put together this fresh salad of quail eggs, ripe figs, crispy bacon pieces and crunchy beetroot chips. This salad will serve 2 as a light meal, or 4 as a side dish.
Fig and quail egg salad with beetroot chips
What you'll need:
Baby spinach and rocket salad mix
1 beetroot, cleaned and peeled
6 quail eggs
3 rashers bacon, chopped roughly
40g butter
Cumin
Sea salt flakes
Olive oil and balsamic vinegar, to drizzle
What to do:
Preheat grill to 180C and fan-forced (if possible) and line a baking tray with alfoil.
Using a sharp knife, or mandolin, slice the beetroot as thinly as possible. Lay beetroot slices out on the tray and sprinkle with cumin and salt flakes. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Grill for around 10 minutes, or until the chips look dry and start to curl a little. Remove from oven and allow to cool - this is when they'll really crisp up.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, and cook quail eggs for no longer than 4 minutes. (That will give you a well-done egg, like mine. Cook for 2 minutes if you like a runny yolk.) Cool eggs in cold water, peel and cut in half.
Melt butter in a frypan and add bacon pieces. Fry, stirring very occasionally until bacon is super crispy.
Place a heap of salad mix into the bowl/s, and top with beetroot chips, quail eggs and bacon. Drizzle with oil and balsamic (if desired) and enjoy!
