Recipe for the Glynde Food Festival 2007

Minted Pea and Sesame Scotch Garden Quail Eggs with Tahini Cream

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You will need:
8 – 12 hard boiled Garden Quail Eggs, depending on size
 
For the coating:
175g (6ozs) Split Green Peas
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons sesame oil (or any good quality oil)
Large handful of fresh mint leaves, chopped
125g (4ozs) sesame seeds, half toasted, half raw
125g (4ozs) breadcrumbs
1 local free range hen’s egg (preferably from your garden!)
Sea salt and black pepper
 
To finish and fry:
Wholewheat flour or polenta
2 eggs, beaten with 2 tablespoons cold water
Dried breadcrumbs
Deep fat fryer

For the Tahini Cream:
Half a 340g jar of Tahini (sesame seed puree)
Juice of 2/3 Lemons, plus a little shredded zest if liked
Approximately ¾ Pint cold Water

To make the coating:
Soak the peas overnight in cold water then rinse and place in a saucepan.  Cover with cold water and bring to the boil, simmer for 40 minutes or until tender.  Drain off surplus liquid and set to one side.
 
Fry the onion and garlic in the oil for 10 minutes or so, letting it take a little colour but not too much.  Add the chopped mint (you can use as much as you like – it would be difficult to make it too minty), then remove from the heat.
 
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz on a low speed setting until combined.  Do this quickly and do not allow it to become too smooth – a bit of texture
improves the finished dish.

To coat the eggs:
Shell the Garden Quail Eggs, leaving them whole.
Dip them in the flour or polenta, then the egg, and press the pea and sesame mixture round each egg until completely covered.  Be careful not to leave gaps – they will not fry properly if the hot oil can get in anywhere.
 
Dip in the egg again and then the dry breadcrumbs.
 
Heat the oil to 160C and fry the eggs until golden and crisp – 6 or 7 minutes depending on size.
 
Serve hot with Tahini Cream and a colourful salad or steamed vegetables of your choice.
 
May also be eaten cold – and look stunning cut in half and presented on a salad of baby spinach and grated beetroot.

To make the Tahini Cream:
Place the tahini and lemon juice in a blender with a few tablespoons of water (it is difficult to give quantities, since the amount of juice will vary hugely depending on the size of the lemons) and blend – keep adding water by degrees until the mixture is the consistency of pouring cream.  Do not be alarmed at the stiff and unyielding mixture it appears to be initially – this is just what happens when liquid is added to sesame puree and is how Halva is made!  It will break down and become smooth as you work it and add more liquid.  If using, add the zest at the end to retain texture.  If you do not possess a blender, this can be made equally well in a mixing bowl using a fork to beat it.  The finished quantity will be approximately a pint.  The cream can be made in advance, or perhaps while the peas are simmering, and keeps well in the fridge.  It is delicious on desserts as well as savoury food – try some on a slice of apple pie!