They are ten times more than chicken eggs, and with a dark green shell, which is very difficult to break. All this is about the emu eggs of an Australian bird. By the way, Australia has long banned the hunting of these birds and the consumption of their eggs. Local to try this delicacy, you need special permission. But then, according to some sources, about a million emus live in captivity all over the planet. Most of all – on farms in the USA, China, Peru and Canada. And the eggs of these birds are quite accessible to buyers.
Who are emu
Emu is a family of flightless birds, which are sometimes called Australian ostriches. And although outwardly there is some similarity between the two birds, in fact they are representatives of different families. Ostriches widespread in Africa belong to the order Ostrich-shaped. Emu, as already scientifically proven, is the Cassowary and, by the way, the only representatives of this family. Their natural habitat is Australia, where these birds are as common as we have … chickens. According to rough estimates, between 625000 and 725000 of these flightless birds live on the mainland.
But if emus are so common, why then are they so jealously protected by law? The fact is that these birds, which are considered relatives of some species of dinosaurs, are not found anywhere else on the planet and are still endangered. At one time there were three species of birds on the Australian continent – an emu (the one that inhabits the mainland today), a black emu and a small emu. Representatives of the last two species died out in the XIX century.
Emu despite its impressive dimensions, as a rule, avoid people and other animals. They try to keep to dense evergreen forests. Females are slightly larger than males, although fewer than African ostriches. They can reach 190, see. It is interesting that the emu has rudimentary wings about 20 in length. See while running (reach speeds up to 50 km / h), birds slap them to maintain balance. During the walk, the stride length of these birds is about one meter, but during the run it can exceed 2,5. Unlike African ostriches, their legs are not two-fingered, but with three fingers and a structure have more similarities to the legs of other birds. From a distance, emus resemble a shock of hay, their brown plumage is long, shaggy and similar to fur. But depending on the environment, the shade of feathers may vary.
Egg-laying
The mating season in emu falls on the cold months (from November to March). A pair of birds remain for about 5 months. During this time, they are looking for the best place for laying eggs. For one season, the female lays from 2 to 3 eggs (but sometimes 1 eggs) with an interval of 20-35 days, which look like an avocado: large and dark green with a tuberous texture. One such specimen can have from 9 to 14 cm and weigh 700-900 g.
Ornithologists believe that females tend to lay their offspring late in the evening or early in the morning. In this case, they do not sit on the nest, but rather squat. Therefore, the “birth” of each egg is accompanied by a roar – from the impact of a hard shell on the ground. But such blows usually do not harm the egg, unless it falls on a sharp stone. A freshly laid egg is shiny, moist and covered with a layer of mucus that dries quickly. Once in the nest, it cools rapidly, the contents of the shell are compressed in volumes, and a small air cushion is formed between the outer and inner membranes.
Interestingly, in the emu family, the male takes all the care of hatching the offspring, which covers the future babies first with leaves, dry grass and branches, and then sits on them.
The female, laying eggs, leaves. During the 8 weeks of the incubation period, the male does not rise from the nest, does not eat, does not defecate. He drinks only dew, and during the time of incubation he loses almost a third of the weight. During this time, the female can find a new “family” and have time to postpone another batch of eggs.
What do emu eggs look like
Emu eggs are some of the largest on the planet (after the ostrich, of course). One such specimen can replace a whole tray of chicken eggs. But size is not the only feature that recognizes this amazing product. Emu eggs are also one of the brightest eggs on the planet – a rich green-blue hue allows birds to mask future offspring in the grass. The eggshell consists of layers – usually from 7 to 12. Their color changes from dark green on the outside to greenish-bluish in the middle and to an almost white inner layer. Each of the layers is no thicker than a sheet of paper.
They say that this product also tastes good. And perhaps it is true, otherwise it would not be so popular in the culinary world. Gourmets argue that its texture is more like a duck egg than a chicken, although it is generally accepted that the taste characteristics of emu eggs and hens are almost identical.
The nutritional value
This delicacy in the emerald shell is an outstanding source of phosphorus, iron, B vitamins, in particular folic acid and B12, vitamins A and D. As for the lipid composition, this delicacy contains about 68% polyunsaturated fats (useful for humans) and 31 % saturated. In addition, the composition contains 8 amino acids that are indispensable for people (just like in a chicken product). Interestingly, the percentage of protein and yolk are almost the same size, but the yolk is not as bright as in other birds.
The product 100 g contains almost 200 kilocalories, which is much more than in chicken eggs.
Use in cooking
Fresh emu eggs are odorless and off-line (unyachic) flavors. If the taste of such a product is watery, the smell is repulsive, and the yolk with a greenish or bluish tinge is an old, stale egg. Or the product was stored in inappropriate conditions.
Emus eggs can be fried, boiled, baked, but there is an opinion among the cooks that they are best suited for baking and making savory dishes. Some restaurants offer emu eggs on their menu that combine with wild mushrooms.
From one piece you can make a regular omelet for seven people. But it should be said that the whipped egg mass will be thicker than that of chicken eggs. To boil an egg, it will take almost half an hour.
A raw egg can be stored in the refrigerator for almost a month, and if frozen, then up to a year. But before freezing, it is better to separate the yolk from the protein and add either a little salt or sugar to it. Otherwise, the yolk will turn into a gelatinous substance.
Shell Use
To preserve the shell in maximum integrity, it is necessary to “open” the emu egg correctly. To do this, it is advised to drill small holes at the ends of the egg and blow out the contents.
Emu eggshell is an interesting material for decorative carving. Among the masters, it became popular in the XIX century. To understand how original the products from this material look, it is enough to recall that the shell consists of several multi-colored layers. This feature allows craters to create complex patterns without additional ink. Artists create portraits, landscapes, miniature scenes on eggshell, decorate them with beads, decoupage technique, and also make small boxes from them.
And though emu eggs practically do not differ from chicken eggs in their chemical composition, many people adore omelets and other dishes made from this exotic product. If you decide to cook yourself something from such an unusual egg, remember: everything is good, in moderation. But before you start cooking, do not forget to check the freshness of the product – at least visually and the smell. And Bon Appetit!
