The busiest entertaining part of the year is upon us and I have a fabulous dish for you to share with family and friends. This quail egg stuffed mushroom recipe is sure to impress your family and guests, but the best part is that it’s fairly simple. Let me share this delectable delight!
A few weeks ago we visited my son at University of Oregon for parents’ weekend. Our last Fall parents’ weekend, by the way, since he’s a senior. Where does the time go? But I digress. Anyway, while we were at a butcher market in Eugene, Oregon I found quail eggs. I was immediately inspired to find a recipe to use them. And here we are!
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about quail eggs
Quail eggs are eaten and considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, but interesting enough I find them to taste very much like our regular, everyday chicken eggs. What I find attractive about them is their diminutive size, opening them up to creative culinary endeavors.
Any although they are very petite in size, quail eggs have the highest protein content and the lowest cholesterol of any poultry. Who knew? These super-food powerhouses have immunity stimulating properties, which are great for our health and they are also loaded with vitamins and minerals.
how to make quail egg stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
The box of quail eggs I found came as a pack of 15 eggs, which is how I have created this recipe, but feel free to adjust according to the quail egg case you might find or the amount of mushrooms you wish to prepare.
- 15 quail eggs
- 15 mushrooms
- 2-3 minced garlic cloves (depending on size)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Chives
- Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Instructions
I always recommend reading a recipe all the way through before starting anything. I actually read the entire recipe, then assemble all the ingredients and reread the entire recipe. This not only helps me assure I have all the ingredients necessary, but also any tools or special gadgets I might need.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Wash mushrooms carefully and set on paper towels to dry thoroughly
- Spray baking dish
- Cut stems from mushrooms with a paring knife
- Use a small spoon to remove some of the gills, making mushroom cavity as open as possible
- Line all the mushrooms in a baking dish with open cavity facing up
- Fill mushrooms assembly style with sprinkling of minced garlic, quail eggs, S&P to taste, and cheese
- We like a bit of spicy over here so I included a sprinkling of cayenne pepper as well (this step is optional depending on your taste)
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Sprinkle with chives
how & when to eat quail egg stuffed mushrooms
These quail egg stuffed mushrooms are a great starter for any meal. You can include them as an appetizer in a serve yourself spread or they are pretty for a passed out on a tray hors d’oeuvres.
At a sit down dinner they make a great starter on top of a salad, making it a more substantial dish plus the mushroom caps look pretty on a bed of lettuce. Remember we eat with our eyes first. As a starter I would only include 2 or 3 depending on the size of your mushroom caps.
They also make a great light lunch. For a lunch I would include 5 or 6 on a salad for a light midday fare. Of course, since it includes eggs these would be a great addition to a brunch menu. The quail egg mushroom caps are actually quite hearty for their size between the meatiness of the mushroom cap and the creaminess of the quail eggs.
tips & techniques for quail egg stuffed mushrooms
This is not a difficult recipe to prepare and hopefully these insider tips and techniques will make it even easier for you to make at home.
The most time consuming part of this recipe is prepping the mushrooms. Since you can actually do this ahead of time, this recipe lends itself as a great entertaining option. Simply prep the mushrooms 1 or 2 days ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator until the day of the event and then the assembly process will be a breeze.
Although quail eggs are diminutive, don’t let their size fool you. Their shells are actually extremely sturdy and tricky to crack. It took me a couple eggs to figure out the best way to open them. I use a small sharp knife to crack them open with a swift motion.
I provided cayenne pepper as an option for the folks who like things with a bit more spice. Just be careful when sprinkling the red pepper on the eggs and be light handed. A little goes a long way here.
more recipes inspiration
make your own quail egg stuffed mushrooms
“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces — just good food from fresh ingredients.”
Julia Child
This sounds delicious MaryJo! I recently gave pheasant eggs a try, and thought they were much like regular eggs like you said. They are so small like quail eggs, and were actually kind of fun to eat. If the person who gave them to us has more, I will have to give this recipe a try. I am a big lover of mushrooms! YUM!
Oh I’ve never seen pheasant eggs. We’ve had quail eggs before at restaurants so I wanted to give them a try. I’ll have to try pheasant eggs. How great a friend gave them to you! XO- MJ
Hi MaryJo, This is a very interesting one and I saved it as I have never worked with quail eggs as yet. I will have to try this so pinned it
I visited you via Eat Your Veggies and the TFT Blog Hop
I linked up this week with = 64+65. Hope you will join us M-S SeniorSalonPitStop and W-S #WordlessWednesday. You will find both under BLOGGING.
Hi Esme. Yes, this was my 1st time working with them. Let me know if you give them a try. XO- MJ
Wow! What a unique recipe! I’m a fan of quail eggs so going to have to try this. Hoping over from the blog hop. Have a lovely week.