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Pickled Eggs and Sausages

Source of Recipe

From "A Southerly Course" by Martha Foose


Recipe Introduction

"In most bait shops throughout the South and beyond, big gallon jars of pink-tinted pickled eggs sit on counters next to smoked summer sausages. Here these two favorite fisherman's snacks are brined up together and make a perfect take-along lunch for a day out on the lake for the angler gourmand."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 24 quail eggs
â—¦ About 2 cups white vinegar
â—¦ 16 cooked smoked beef cocktail sausages
â—¦ 1 (12.7-ounce) bottle champagne vinegar (1 â…” cups)
â—¦ 3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
â—¦ 2 cloves garlic
â—¦ ½ teaspoon fresh dill
â—¦ ½ teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
â—¦ 3 teaspoons salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper


Recipe

Check the eggs to make sure that none of them are cracked. Soak the eggs in warm water for 10 minutes, then inspect them well to make sure they are very clean. Put the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring the water to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 10 minutes, giving them a gentle stir every now and then. Pour off the water, cover the eggs with white vinegar (about 2 cups), and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Pour off the vinegar and dissolved eggshell. Rinse the eggs well in cold water. Peel the eggs under running water, remove any remaining shell and membrane, and then you are ready to pickle them.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the sausages for 3 minutes or until slightly plumped and beginning to brown. Put the sausages and eggs in a pint jar.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, bring the champagne vinegar, onion, garlic, dill, mustard seeds, salt, and cayenne pepper to a simmer. Pour the hot brine over the eggs and sausages to cover. Cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for 2 days or up to a week.

Makes 1 pint




Notes:

• Do not use aluminum or cast iron to boil eggs or make brine; the eggs will darken and take on a metallic taste if you do.

• When you first pour the white vinegar over the eggs, the spots on the shell will start to come off.

• Shortcut:
Look for canned quail eggs packed in water at Asian markets. To use these, just pick up the recipe where the eggs are covered with the champagne vinegar mixture.