Easy over goose egg with caper and lemon crust
Serves 2
The size of a goose egg is slightly daunting maybe but served literally as a main course with a little natural seasoning like capers and lemon it would make the perfect vegetarian or brunch dish.
2 goose eggs olive or rapeseed oil for frying
For the topping 60g fresh white breadcrumbs, lightly toasted 30g butter, melted 2tbls capers, rinsed, dried and chopped the finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1tbls chopped parsley 1tbls chopped chives salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together for the topping and season to taste.Now hopefully you will have a couple of non stick frying pans, if not you will have to cook the eggs individually. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the eggs on a low heat for 3-4 minutes, seasoning the white as they are cooking. Flip the eggs over, season and cook for another minute then slide onto warm serving plates and scatter the crust on top.
Chopped duck livers on toast with a fried pheasant egg
Serves 4
Pheasant eggs are probably the closest thing I have come across to a gulls egg, although boiling and peeling them proves difficult as the shell just sticks to the white. This is such a simple, tasty and inexpensive dish and quick to knock up at home. You can use duck or chicken livers for this and fresh is always preferable to frozen.
2 large shallots, peeled and finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed 100g butter 250g fresh chicken or duck livers, cleaned and cut into even-sized chunks Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 pheasant eggs A little olive or rapeseed oil for frying Thick slices of hot toast to serve
A dash of sherry
Melt half the butter in a saucepan and gently cook the shallots and garlic for 3-4 minutes, stirring every so often until soft, then remove from the heat.
Dry the chicken livers on some kitchen paper. Season them and then melt the rest of the butter in a frying pan until it begins to foam. Add the livers and cook them for a couple of minutes on each side and add a dash of sherry to the pan. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and mix with the shallots and garlic.
With a heavy knife, chop the livers fairly finely on a chopping board, or give them literally a few seconds in a food processor and re season if necessary. Lightly fry the pheasant eggs in the oil then spoon the livers generously on to the toast and place the fried eggs on top.
Soft boiled bantam egg with creamed leeks and Arbroath smokies Serves 4
Arbroath smokies are making a bit of a comeback and maybe in the past the bones and skin may have been a bit off putting but in this recipe the hard work is done before it goes on the plate. Bantam eggs are about two thirds of the size of a hens egg so make a less filling starter or brunch dish.
1-2 Arbroath smokie, skinned and boned, or about 300-350g smoked haddock fillet, skinned Milk for poaching (if using the smoked haddock) A couple of good knobs of butter 1 leek, halved, finely shredded and washed 250–300ml double cream Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 bantam eggs 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Check the fish carefully for any pin-bones, removing any you find with tweezers. If using smoked haddock, poach it in gently simmering milk or water to cover for 3-4 minutes, then drain and break up the flesh into fairly large pieces.
Heat the butter in a pan and gently cook the leek for 3-4 minutes until soft, then add the cream and fish.
Season lightly and simmer until the cream has reduced down a little and is just coating the fish. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Meanwhile, soft-boil the bantam eggs by carefully lowering them into a pan of simmering water and cooking gently for3 ½ - 4 minutes. Briefly refresh in cold water until the eggs are cool enough to handle, then remove and carefully peel.
Divide the creamed fish and leek among warmed-up plates and sprinkle with the chopped parsley and place the egg on top. Grind over a little pepper and serve at once.
Scrambled Rhea egg in shell with asparagus soldiers
Serves 2 to 4
The Rhea egg is about half the size of an ostrich egg so a perfect natural dipping pot for two with spears of seasonal green asparagus.
250-350g medium asparagus, woody ends removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp shopped chives
60g butter
4 tbsp double cream 1Rhea egg
With a heavy knife crack around the egg a third of the way down from the pointed end and empty the egg into a bowl and beat the egg with a whisk. Rinse and dry the main part of the shell and trim the edges with scissors
Melt the butter in a pan with the cream, add the beaten egg, season and cook on a low heat, stirring constantly and ensuring you get in the corners of the pan Keeping the egg nice and soft and creamy and re season if necessary. Spoon the egg into the shell and serve in a small bowl or dish as an egg cup wont be big enough
Check the asparagus by cutting a little off a thick end to see if they are tender. Drain in a colander, then arrange in bundles next to the eggs. Spoon a little pile of Maldon sea salt and celery salt on to each plate and serve.
