Discovering Quail, Duck and Chicken Eggs… And Easy-Breezy Summer Breakfast Dutch Babies
Earlier this year, I was zucchinied with dozens of quail eggs.
They weren’t left on my doorstep, but they were aplenty. The stone-sized eggs made me scratch my head. What to do with these tiny eggs? I’d never cracked one open much less eaten one. My most entertaining idea… Barbie-sized deviled eggs!
The gift of pint-sized plenty arrived through my friend Hans’ friends who are falconers in the county to our north. They raise ducks and chickens for human food, but their bevy of quail are for their two raptors. They used to buy the quail in frozen carcass form until the pandemic—along with an unpleasant defrosted shipping incident—interrupted even their local supply chain of frozen falcon food.
Quail eggs are teeny compared to the chicken eggs I am used to, about one-fourth the size. Specialty scissors, designed just for these eggs, snip off the pointier end of the slim oval. Yolk and albumen in miniature drop into the pan for little fried eggs that fancify my salad.
Chicken eggs are a staple in my fridge. Aside from those few weeks last year when organic eggs seemed impossible to find on store shelves (okay, okay, I might have caved and bought non-organic), I always have at least one carton tucked in the middle left of my fridge. And aside from a short-lived duck-egg phase in my 30s when I bought the giant eggs in a bigger-must-be-better moment. The size of those large yolks made me a little queasy. The duck egg memory and this year’s quail egg abundance got me wondering… is there a difference between these eggs?
Both quail and chicken eggs offer similar nutritional values, by weight—five or six quail eggs to one chicken egg—with quail slightly higher in cholesterol, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Duck eggs are apparently wonderful for use in baking. They make a creamier and richer scramble or omelet than chicken eggs. Duck eggs are also the trophy winners for nutrients, higher in antioxidants, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and 50% more vitamin A than chicken eggs, even taking size into consideration. Keep in mind, duck eggs are also significantly higher in cholesterol.
Unless you have a backyard connection, duck and quail are harder to find in the US today. The “alternative eggs” section of our mainstream local grocery store cracks me up… and disappoints. Alt-eggs? I picture mohawks and punk boots and moody dark cartons like trench coats. Or, at the very least, I expect this section to offer quail and duck eggs. Instead, it offers manufactured—not laid—egg substitutes.
Other countries more readily offer “alternative eggs” from alternative birds, in grocery stores, homes, and food stalls. In Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela, a single hard-boiled quail egg is common a topping on hot dogs and hamburgers, often fixed in place with a toothpick. Duck eggs are most popular in various Asian cuisines, especially Chinese and Vietnamese. In Indonesia and Vietnam, small packets of hard-boiled quail eggs are sold in street stalls, sometimes enjoyed as an inexpensive beer snack. In the Philippines, kwek-kwek is a popular street food: soft-boiled quail eggs dipped in orange-colored batter, then skewered and deep-fried.
Here in the US, we do have a unique egg dish invented in our very own state in the early 1800s: the Dutch baby. Owner of the iconic Seattle Manca’s Café supposedly came up with it, and the café patented the name Dutch Baby in 1942. (Though sometimes called a Bismarck, a Dutch puff, or a Hootenanny). A Dutch baby, if you are unfamiliar, is like a cross between a popover and a pancake: it rises dramatically in the oven, then collapses upon removal. It’s custardy in texture, not fluffy like traditional pancakes. They are a low-lift, high-return breakfast that quickly feeds a family—or crowd of happy summer visitors—fancily.
Even better news from the Dutch baby front: they can feed a large number of guests without breaking the egg bank. Good news in this new age of eggs as gold.
Enjoy your eggs, any way you crack them—ideally, served with dear friends and visitors and family. Summer is here!
Skagit writer and eater Sarah Stoner loves to wander over to her neighbor’s chickens, taking a moment to watch them scratch and peck in the dirt and at the bread she brings them—some people call this “Chicken TV.” sarahjstoner@hotmail.com
Fresh Lemon-Blueberry Dutch Baby
Active/total time: 10/30 min. Makes: 4 servings
Dutch babies are traditionally served sweet, often made without fruit. But the sweet + tart flavors work beautifully here. Use peaches or any stone fruit as the summer months progress… and don’t skip the lemon. Frozen fruit and gluten-free flour works, too.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup (125 g) whole or 2% milk
1/2 cup (64 g) all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons (43 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
the zest of one lemon
1 cup (154 g) blueberries
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions
Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F. Place a 9- or 10-inch cast iron skillet over low heat on your stovetop. Keep it over low heat while you prepare the batter.
Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a small skillet, then transfer to a blender. Add the milk, flour, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest, and blend until smooth. (Do not skip this step — the batter will be lumpy if you do.)
Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter into the cast iron skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-high. Let the butter melt, add the blueberries, and give the skillet a shake. Immediately pour the batter over the blueberries and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, about 15 minutes.
Remove pan from the oven, and dust with confectioners’ sugar, if you wish. Cut and serve immediately with maple syrup.
Savory Bacon and Cheese Dutch Baby
Active/total time: 15/30 min. Makes: 4 servings
This savory version is twice as popular with my family than any sweet version, so far. I double the recipe for my large cast iron skillet, and substitute gluten-free flour. Don’t put Baby in a corner!
Ingredients
4 strips bacon, diced, or 1/4 cup bacon crumbles (or try 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled cooked breakfast sausage or diced cooked ham)
2 ounces fontina cheese, grated (or any creamy melting cheese: Gouda, mozzarella, mild provolone)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp Dijon or brown mustard
1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 to 2 Tbsp of finely chopped sautéed onion, or red or green bell pepper – optional
Fresh chopped chives, parsley, or combo for garnish
Directions
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425 F.
Heat 10-inch heavy-duty, nonstick, ovenproof skillet over medium heat (or heat pan in oven if you have bacon crumbles or otherwise prepared meat). Cook bacon until crisp. Remove to drain and cool. Set the pan with the bacon drippings aside.
In a large bowl or blender, combine the eggs, flour, milk, mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk or process until the batter is smooth (some say using an electric blender for this step is essential).
Heat the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet over medium heat, or add the butter to your oven-heated skillet. When the butter melts, pour batter into the skillet. You want the skillet with melted butter hot when you add the batter.
Combine the grated cheese and bacon. Sprinkle over the center of the egg batter, leaving a 1-inch border to allow the batter to puff as it bakes.
Bake until pancake is browned and puffed around the edges, 15 to 17 minutes. Garnish with the herbs, slice into wedges, and serve hot.