Hard-boiled Quail Eggs with Curry Mayo

A sexy hard-boiled egg? Well, that’s how my good friend described this springtime amuse bouche when I planted it atop his dinner plate last weekend. Come to think of it, there is something pretty alluring about peeling back these eggs’ dappled cloaks (the shells are pale blue inside) and sinking your teeth into their supple flesh. Try them with a dab of my homemade curry mayo, a freshly sprouted wheat grass “nest”, and a sprinkle of smoked sea salt, and you might just find yourself grabbing for a cigarette! Note: This mayo is very thick and relatively spicy, just as I like it for an accent-garnish. But feel free to adjust seasonings to taste. You will also have plenty leftover to slather on sandwiches!

Yield: About 2 dozen hard-boiled quail eggs and 1 3/4 cups mayonnaise

Prep Talk: The mayo is best used within 3 to 5 days and will thicken as it sits in the fridge. Thin it as desired by whisking in a small amount of warm water before serving.

Ingredients:

Hard-boiled Quail Eggs:

• About 2 dozen quail eggs (when I can’t get them locally, my source is fromthefarm.com)
• About 5 cups cold water to amply cover the eggs
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Curry Mayo:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons distilled white or white wine vinegar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons curry powder, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt, or to taste
• 1 1/2 cups grapeseed or other mildly flavored oil
• 2 tablespoons or more warm water

Garnish (optional):

• Freshly sprouted wheat grass (no more than 1 1/2 inches tall, or the grass can get tough)
• Smoked sea salt (I love Matiz smoked sal del mar from Spain.)

Method:

1 | Boil the eggs. Carefully place the eggs in a large pot filled with the cold water and vinegar. Note: The membrane beneath a quail egg shell is much tougher than that of a regular chicken egg. The addition of vinegar to the water helps tenderize this membrane, making for easier peeling later. Place the pan over medium-high to high heat and bring the water to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes for hard-boiled eggs (less if you want the eggs softer). Immediately (but carefully) drain the eggs into a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Immerse the eggs in more cold water until completely cooled off; then drain and refrigerate until ready to serve.