Ryan's Quail Eggs in a Nest of Ham

This weekend, standing beside me at the counter in the 100 Mile Store in Creemore, was a charming young  man, I am guessing 10 to 12 years old, delivering his quail eggs to the store.   Ryan raises 26 quail that produce three or four dozen eggs a week. The eggs were perfect and very fresh, so of course, I  had to buy a package. What a treat!!!

I told Ryan about one of my favourite pizzas with quail eggs, and he looked at his parents, and I had the sense that pizza was added to their meal plan for the day.  

This is another of my favourites for quail eggs. These nests are mouth sized bites that work well as an appetizer or a special breakfast, and can be made in no time at all.  

Ryan's Quail Eggs in Nests of Ham

10 quail eggs
10 thin slices of serrano ham, taste to ensure it is not too salty, as the saltiness will be amplified when baked and can overpower the eggs
1/4 cup of soft chèvre
fresh ground pepper

1 small muffin tin with 1 1/2"(4 cm) cups

Carefully place a slice of ham in muffin tin, shaping it to fit the cup and ensuring there are no tears.  Place about a teaspoon of the chèvre in the bottom of the ham cup.  Carefully break open the the quail egg into the cup.  The membrane of quail eggs is very tough, and I use scissors to cut the membrane and break open the egg. Grind some fresh pepper on each cup.

Place under broiler and bake for about a minute watching carefully so that the whites are solid, but the yolks still run.  Serve immediately.