Quail egg medallion with fried vermicelli

I decided on this hors d' oeuvre/ tapas/ brunch so that I could use up the odds and bits in my fridge before our short trip to Brussels tomorrow. My husband works really very hard and is dying to have a little vacation. Before he'd considered Munich for their beer festival, but some of his co-workers didn't have good comment (crowded, stinky...) on that place, but some said they loved it! Anyway, we couldn't get a good hotel that's within our budget during the festival. And I love seafood, particulary shellfish, I think I'll like Brussels.

Oh yes, quail eggs! It is so easy to get them in here (so as in my home country). But since this post will enter Presto Pasta Night (found by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast), right now I merely focus on rice vermicelli. Hongkong people usually fry up this noodle and use it as garnish or add into (beef) meat balls (a Cantonese cuisine). Fried rice vermicelli is extremely crispy and light, sort of like biting a meringue. Just remember, don't fry a whole cake of rice vermicelli (as too pack-up), break it up first or just use the loose ones. When the oil is hot, keep the heat around medium or medium-high, frying time only takes a few seconds (!), the original thin noodles will puff up in no time!

The medallion composes of egg and cheese, you know this combo can actually go with anything! With my mushroom (taste similar to Enoki's), rice vermicelli and cebollino (think of green/spring onion...), I'm anchored with an oriental accent. Of course you can go for Italian by switching to tomato and porcini. The variety is unlimited but our imagination. Enjoy!

Recipe of quail egg medallion (yield 8 pieces)

*the idea is from Italian magazine "A TAVOLA" 2005*

• 8 quail eggs
• some mild-flavored, semi-soft cheese (mine is "President snacking cheese" which is in tube shape, so I just sliced it and got 8 flat round pieces)
• a small handful dry rice vermicelli (mine imported from China)
• 1/2 cup fresh mushroom (I didn't know the kind of mine, but flavor is very mild, sort of like Enoki's)
• a few dashes of rice wine
• cooking oil
• salt and (white) ground pepper
• dried red chili, crushed
• cebollino/ chives, finely chopped

How-to:

• (fried vermicelli and mushroom can be prepared an hour ahead, but cheese and eggs should be served right after they're done)
• To fry the vermicelli - pre-heat 2" deep oil, fry the noodles over medium to medium-high heat, take only a few seconds. Drained. Set aside.
• To sautee the mushroom - Heat a bit oil in a small skillet, saute the mushroom over medium heat, add a few dashes of rice wine, until the mushroom softens, salt and (white) pepper to taste. Set aside.
• To prepare the cheese - Brush very little oil on a (non-stick) skillet and heat it up, brown the cheese slices.
• To cook the quail eggs - Brush very little oil on a (non-stick) skillet, poke a big hole (by using the tip of scissor) on the bottom of the egg shell, let the egg liquid pour out and drop onto the skillet (as the quail egg's shell is not so easy to crack open as chicken egg's). Cook the egg to your desirable doneness. Salt and (white) pepper to taste.
• To assemble - Place a slice of cheese on the bottom, top with quail egg, place mushroom on the side, garnish with rice vermicelli, crushed red chili pepper and cebollino

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