How to cook quail eggs

How to cook quail eggs to make them look perfect 

Do you remember that “the best perfumes come in small jars”? Well something similar happens with eggs. Small, tasty … and very nutritious!

This is what quail eggs are like , a food that is increasingly present in Spanish cuisine.

And no wonder! Because adding quail eggs to your dishes can make them more sophisticated , because they give an original touch to your presentation, because they will make your culinary creations more attractive to the smallest of the house, but also because adding quail eggs in your recipes enriches their value. nutritional . 

Until a few years ago, quail eggs were associated with gourmet gastronomy and were sometimes far from the reach of any kitchen.

However, it is increasingly common to find quail eggs in supermarkets and food stores , making incorporating them into our daily gastronomy easier.

Although we can buy quail eggs throughout the year, the strongest season, that of laying, is between the months of May and August.

Nutritional values ​​of quail eggs

As we say, quail eggs stand out for their high protein content and the low presence of carbohydrates .

That is, they represent a great energy contribution , even greater than that of chicken eggs despite their evident difference in size. In 100 grams of this food we can find: 

• Calories : 155 kcal
• Carbohydrates : 0.41 gr
• Fat : 11.2 gr
• Proteins : 13.05 gr
• Cholesterol : 844 mg
• Calcium : 64 mg
• Phosphorus : 226 mg
• Potassium : 132 mg

But, in addition to all this, quail eggs also contain vitamins A and B , choline, iron, iodine and magnesium.

Properties and benefits 

• Despite its small size (a quail egg can weigh between 10 and 15 grams; it is, therefore, three times smaller than a chicken egg: or what is the same, a chicken egg is equivalent, in size, three quail eggs), the properties of quail eggs are 3 or 4 times higher than those of chicken eggs .
• They contain 13 percent protein vs. 11 percent of chicken eggs, 140 percent of vitamin B1 vs. 50 percent of chicken eggs, and provide five times more iron and potassium .
• Another advantage of quail eggs in our diet is that, unlike chicken eggs, they are not known to cause allergies or diseases.
• The consumption of these eggs is highly recommended in the diet of children and the elderly due to their high content of phosphorus and calcium , essential for the growth and maintenance of bones and teeth.
• Also for the important contribution of proteins , which make its digestion easy and contribute to growth. As mentioned above, quail eggs provide much-needed vitamins for our body, and their ovomucoid protein strengthens the immune system .
• The vitamin A , for example, contributes to the formation of soft tissue and to the maintenance of skin . For its part, vitamin B helps us maintain the nervous system and favors the formation of red blood cells in the blood.
• They are a good source of iron , so its consumption is indicated in people with anemia. And although the cholesterol level in quail eggs is high, studies show that it does not raise cholesterol in the blood .
• They are the saturated fats of the food and not the cholesterol, the dangerous ones for our health, and the egg has few saturated fats. We do find, among the fats contained in the egg, choline , which is an ally to prevent heart disease, gallstones and to maintain memory . We are, therefore, before a very complete food .

Preparation of quail eggs

Like chicken eggs, quail eggs can be fried, cooked, or grilled.

Here we are going to give you some tips to know how we should cook these mini eggs to obtain a delicious snack.

The procedure is the same as that used to cook chicken eggs, although the size of our eggs will determine the cooking time. Obviously less time will be necessary. 

• Boil . Once the water starts to boil, the quail eggs need 4-5 minutes to cook . Although you may prefer that the yolk of your eggs is not so hard, but more liquid . Then you just need to let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes .  
• Cool. Once cooked, you must remove the eggs from the boiling water and put them in a saucepan with cold water or cool them under the tap. This way you can stop the cooking process in a faster way. In addition, this sudden change in temperature will make it easier for you to peel hard-boiled eggs: once cooled, the egg white will separate more easily from the shell . 
• Peel. Another trick to peel small quail eggs without breaking them is, after they have cooled, wrap them in a rag or cloth and roll them across the counter with gentle pressure . The shell will detach itself!

Now that you know all the properties and benefits of quail eggs and how easy and fast it is to prepare them, you can turn them into one of your star products in your kitchen .

Tips for some fluffy quail eggs

• You can use these small but tasty eggs to transform your snacks . They are ideal in canapés and toasts .
• Include them in salads , as a garnish for your stews, in rice , in your salads or use them to chop and accompany the gazpacho or salmorejo .
• You will not leave anyone indifferent, you will give a fun and sophisticated touch to your dishes and, most importantly, you will contribute many proteins, vitamins and nutrients to meals .
• They are the perfect ally, for example, in the diet of our little ones, who will be able to eat tailor-made eggs but with more beneficial properties than they imagine and, in addition, in a more fun way.