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Quail Egg Scotch Eggs with Harissa Dip

Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Pickling time3 days
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Keyword: appetizer, chorizo sausage, harissa, quail egg, scotch egg
Servings: 24

Equipment

  • oven-safe cooling rack

Ingredients

Pickled Eggs/Brine:

  • 12 quail eggs
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar 
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 garlic cloves, whole peeled
  • ½ tablespoon turmeric powder
  • ¼ cup brown sugar

Scotch Egg Wrap:

  • 12 oz raw Mexican chorizo sausage (casing removed if using links)
  • 1 cup seasoned Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Canola oil, for frying*

Harissa Cream Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoon mayonaise
  • 2 tablespoon sour cream
  • 2 tablespoon harissa paste*
  • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar 

Instructions

  • Pickling the eggs. Add the quail eggs to a small saucepan, and add water to the pan until the eggs are just covered. Heat the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer the quail eggs for 5 minutes, then remove to an ice bath (bowl filled with ice water) and allow to cool completely. Carefully peel the eggs, and transfer them to a small-medium mason jar or airtight container. I like to use a pairing knife to help get the shell loosened to easily peel the quail eggs, since they have a thicker shell than regular chicken eggs.
    2. Making the brine. Add all brine ingredients to the same saucepan you cooked the eggs in and bring to a boil. Stir until brown sugar and salt are completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, and pour over peeled eggs.
    3. Cover and refrigerate, turning jar or container sightly every day to distribute brine evenly, for 3 days.
    4. Dredging and frying the Scotch eggs. Set a large cutting board or cookie sheet out, and cover with parchment paper. If using sausage links, remove from the casing. Wet your hands, and press the sausage into an even ⅛” thick layer across the parchment paper (you will end up with a roughly 9”12” rectangle- it does not need to be perfect).
    5. Using a sharp knife, slice sausage into 2” squares (4 slices horizontally, 3 vertically). You should end up with 12 squares, which do not need to be perfect either.
    6. Place 1 pickled quail egg in each square, and carefully lift sausage square with a butter knife or silicone spatula. Carefully wrap around the egg, edge to edge, and press to seal. Roll the chorizo wrapped quail egg in your hands until it’s smooth, like a meatball.
    7. Continue until all eggs are wrapped and rolled, then set up.a dredging station with beaten eggs on a small bowl, and the parmesan and panko in another medium bowl, stirred or whisked well to combine.
    8. Once all eggs are coated in sausage, coat them in the panko/parmesan mixture, then dip them one by one into the beaten egg, and then into the panko/parmesan mixture again. Set coated eggs aside onto a clean plate.
    9. Preheat oven to 350, and set an oven-safe cooling rack over a sheet pan close to your work station.
    10. Frying the Scotch eggs. Heat ¼” of frying oil (I used canola) in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, until shimmering but not smoking.
    11. Fry the coated eggs in batches, careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook eggs for 2 minutes a side, turning carefully with tongs to brown all (4) sides, then transfer to the oven-safe cooling rack to drain.
    12. Once all the eggs are fried, transfer the sheet pan/rack to the oven for 10-15 minutes to fully cook sausage. Eggs should be firm to the touch and brown once cooked through.
    13. Once removed from the oven, allow the cooked eggs to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting/serving. The eggs are great served warm from the oven, or at room temperature.
    14. While the eggs are cooling, make the harissa cream sauce.
    15. To make the harissa cream sauce, simply whisk all ingredients until well incorporated.
    16. To serve- sliced eggs in half, and transfer to a bowl or platter, and serve with a side of harissa cream sauce.
    Air Frying the Scotch Eggs
    1. Spray prepared and dredged eggs evenly with cooking spray of choice.
    2. Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees for 5 minutes.
    3. Cook eggs for 10 minutes, flipping over halfway through.
    4. Cool, slice and enjoy!