Sometimes food is swoon-worthy.
You know what I mean.
Your teeth sink into a dish and the minute the food reaches your tastebuds you see shooting stars. Your pulse quickens, and you forget your name. The conversation fades away, the lights dim and the world is reduced to the food in your mouth. 
Every sense — sight, sound, hearing, taste, smell — is focused only on your object of desire.
You breathe deeply, savouring the exquisite fleetingness of culinary bliss. You nod slowly and thoughtfully, all at once grateful and humbled. And you lick your lips, whimpering just a little.
It’s a bit like falling in love.
In October I visited Dubai and enjoyed high tea at Raffles Hotel there. One of the sandwiches was a rolled white bread sandwich with a quail egg, a baby sprig of asparagus and a dash of truffle oil. The combination was so sublime I couldn’t contain a spontaneous groan of pleasure and I immediately noted it down in my ‘Things to Cook’ list on my Ipad.
The other day while shopping at the Adelaide Central Market I spotted some quail eggs.
So I snapped up some delicate aspragus spears and a bruschetta stick. At home I matched them with my trusty jar of truffle paste bought from The Mushroom Man.
This was the result.
The bruschetta was crisp and crunchy on one side and soft and fluffy on the other with the truffle paste generously scraped across the toasted side. The delicate quail egg was perfectly soft-boiled while the asparagus was young, tender and cooked al dente.
It’s the moments like this — when everything comes together so blissfully — that make cooking and eating such a pleasure.
Truffle, Quail Egg and Asparagus Bruschetta
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This truffle, quail egg, and asparagus bruschetta is a luxurious appetizer that combines crisp bruschetta with creamy truffle paste, tender asparagus, and perfectly soft-boiled quail eggs.
Ingredients
- 1 dozen quail eggs
- 1 white bruschetta stick
- 1 bunch thinnest asparagus you can find, trimmed and cut into two-inch pieces
- Half a jar of truffle paste
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Gently place the quail eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Remove the eggs immediately with a slotted spoon and plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Meanwhile, toast the bruschetta stick until it is crisp and crunchy on one side and soft on the other. Generously spread the truffle paste on the toasted side.
- In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Add the asparagus pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes until they are tender but still crisp (al dente). Drain and set aside.
- Peel the quail eggs carefully once they are cool enough to handle.
- Assemble the bruschetta by placing a few asparagus pieces on the truffle paste-covered side, followed by a soft-boiled quail egg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately and enjoy the exquisite combination of flavors and textures.
Notes
- For best results, use the thinnest asparagus you can find.
- The truffle paste can be substituted with truffle oil if needed, but adjust the quantity to taste.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the contrast between the warm bruschetta and the cool quail eggs.
- Store any leftover ingredients separately and assemble just before serving to maintain texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 120
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
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- Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Bruschetta
- Pesto Flatbread with Bacon and Shaved Asparagus
- Roasted Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Arugula Pistou
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get quail eggs perfectly soft-boiled?
The recipe gives a precise time: bring 3 cups of water to a boil, gently lower the quail eggs in, and cook for exactly 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Remove them immediately with a slotted spoon and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking — any longer and the yolk will set.
Can I use truffle oil instead of truffle paste?
Yes — the notes say truffle paste can be substituted with truffle oil, but adjust the quantity to taste as oil is more liquid and can vary significantly in intensity.
Where did the inspiration for this combination come from?
The author discovered this combination at high tea at Raffles Hotel in Dubai — one of the sandwiches was rolled white bread with a quail egg, baby asparagus, and truffle oil. She immediately wrote it down and recreated it using truffle paste from The Mushroom Man at the Adelaide Central Market.
