Cocktail Pickled Quail Eggs

A large jar of pickled eggs used to sit on the bar of the popular dive where we drank $2 beer in our younger days.  It was smoky, only served beer and blue jeans where the dress code.  The nasty pickled eggs where the only food offered in the establishment, except for some bagged pretzels.  I never saw anyone eat an egg or the jar move from its' position on the bar - ever.  It just sat there like a figurine in grandma's house, the glass cloudy from years in a smoky environment.  It was the icon of just how low the ambiance of the establishment was and I could never conjure a coherent thought that these eggs where consumable.

I've been prejudiced about them all these years until I was offered a quail egg as a nibble with cocktails.  The bite size eggs, simply served with celery salt and their rich, buttery taste, due to their larger yolk to white ratio, seemed quite delectable and chic. You think about slim women sipping dry Martinis and wearing Manolo Blaniks when you eat these petit bites.  I've been thinking about them for some time and decided to revive the pickled idea for these little gems.  I like a hot and sweet flavor and they make an elegant canapé when matched with shrimp or smoked salmon.

This is a simple pickling brine and some might choose to add beet juice to color the eggs of devil them but I like them whole and the simplicity of this recipe.

Put 18 quail eggs in heavy nonreactive sauce pan and cover up to 1 inch with cold water.  Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and cover with ice and water and let cool for 5 minutes.  Crack and carefully peel.

1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbls Kosher salt
12 whole pepper corns
1 tbls pickling spices
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 whole garlic clove
1 whole red chili pepper (or Jalapeño)

Combine the first 3 ingredients until sugar is dissolved in a sterile jar.  Add the remaining items and then the peeled quail eggs.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Keep refrigerated up to 5 days.