Pickled quail egg, smoked trout and celeriac salad

Gourmet~Traveller

Cuisine: Modern Australian

Serves: 4

Type: Salad

Tools

Kitchen friendly view

Pickled quail egg, smoked trout and celeriac salad

By Rodney Dunn

Ingredients

600 gm celeriac, cut into julienne
1 celery heart, thinly shaved, leaves reserved
200 gm hot-smoked trout

18 quail eggs, at room temperature
375 ml (1½ cups) white wine vinegar
50 gm white sugar
1 tsp each coriander seeds and black peppercorns
1 fresh bay leaf

2 eggs, at room temperature
120 ml white wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
120 ml mild extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation method

Serves 4

Prep time 20 mins, cook 15 mins (plus pickling)

These pickled quail eggs are based on a Maggie Beer recipe; use older eggs because fresh ones are difficult to peel. The dressing is quite piquant, so feel free to adjust the vinegar to taste. You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

For pickled quail eggs, place eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, cook until hard-boiled (5-6 minutes), drain, cool under cold running water, peel and set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and boil until sugar dissolves (4-5 minutes). Pour over peeled eggs, transfer to a sterilised jar until required (at least a day or refrigerated for 2 months).

For coddled egg dressing, cook eggs in boiling water over high heat for 3 minutes, drain and cool under running water until cool enough to handle. Halve, scoop eggs from shells into a food processor, add vinegar and mustard. Process until smooth, then, with motor running, add olive oil in a thin stream until incorporated and season to taste.

Combine celeriac and celery in a large bowl, flake over trout, halve pickled quail eggs and arrange on salad, drizzle with coddled egg dressing and serve.

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