Quail Eggs Benedict Blini

Sour Cream Blini Pancakes

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In another small bowl, whisk egg and yolk with sour cream and buttermilk until blended. Add egg mixture to dry indredients and whisk until just combined. The batter should be a little lumpy. Allow batter to rest for a couple of minutes so the baking soda can activate and bubble a bit.

Lightly oil a nonstick skillet and heat over medium heat. Drop batter by the tablespoon into the pan and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes until lightly browned on the bottom. Flip with a spatula and cook until other side is lightly browned.

Remove pancakes from skillet and arrange on a plate or platter. Lightly oil skillet to cook each batch of pancakes.

Top pancakes with Eggs Benedict ingredients or a dab of sour cream and caviar.

Makes about 24 half-dollar size pancakes

Hollandaise Sauce

Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse & Food Network

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Dash of hot pepper sauce

2 teaspoons water

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 stick melted butter

In a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, and water, until pale yellow in color. Season with salt and pepper. Be careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisking vigorously, add the butter, 1 teaspoon at a time, until all is incorporated.

Makes about 3/4 cup

Poached Quail Eggs

Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil.

Gently tap the narrow part of the quail egg on the side of a bowl. Use your fingers to break off the top or narrow part of the shell, taking care not to rupture the yolk inside.

Pour egg into pot of boiling water. Poach for 1 - 2 minutes until yolk is warmed and egg white is cooked around yolk. Remove egg with a slotted spoon and set on top of Canadian Bacon for Eggs Benedict.

Notes: Many poaching techniques instruct the cook to swirl the eggs while in the boiling water. I skipped this step as I didn't want the yolks to break and I wanted the whites to cook just around the yolk, resulting in a beautiful shape for this delicate dish.

I poached 4 quail eggs at a time and removed the excess cooked egg white from the water after each batch. 

Canadian Bacon

Cut Canadian Bacon into 1/4-inch thick slices. Heat bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until both sides are lightly browned.

Remove from heat and cut into a size proportionate to your blini. I cut 3-inch round slices into quarters, making small triangle shapes.