Recipe by Mat Follas for Posh Birds
Scandinavian Style Platter with Quails Eggs
SERVES 4
8 Quails eggs
1 pack of precooked Beetroot
200g Smoked Salmon
200g Smoked Venison
1 small loaf of Rye bread
1 stalk of Celery
2 Chantenay Carrots
1 red Onion
150ml White wine vinegar
150ml White Balsamic vinegar
300ml Water
80g Caster sugar
Pinch of salt
1 small bunch Dill
2g Dill pollen
. . . . . .
Place the eggs in a pan of boiling water and cook them for 90
seconds. Run cold water into the pan, rapidly cooling it and keep
the water running until it’s completely cold. Remove the eggs and
gently tap them to crack the shell all over, then place them back
in the cold water for a few minutes. This will enable you to peel
them easily. Peel them and set aside.
Pickles
Clean, then finely slice across the celery stalk, about the thickness
of a £1 coin.
Trim and slice the carrots lengthwise. You need slices that are
about 1mm thick.
Carefully dice the onion into 5mm pieces.
Pour the vinegars, water and 80g caster sugar into a pan and stir.
Add the Celery, Carrot and Onion (not the beetroot). Bring to
simmering point, take off the heat, then add 4 of the peeled eggs.
Set aside.
Beetroot squares & purée
Finely dice one of the beetroot into 5mm cubes, save the off cuts.
Using the remaining beetroot and off-cuts, roughly chop them
and place in a pan, add water (just enough to cover them), bring
to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and
carefully, using a stick blender, whizz them until a smooth paste is
formed, then add a pinch of salt to season. Set aside.
To assemble
Dot the Beetroot purée around the Serving Platter, slice the Rye
bread and place at one end, then add slices of the Salmon and
Venison. Halve the Quails eggs (using a very sharp knife) and
place randomly around the plate. Decorate with the pickles and
beetroot cubes. Lastly, scatter around a few dill fronds and
flowers and sprinkle the Dill pollen over the top.