At just under 2 kg, a single Ostrich egg weighs about the same as a whole chicken and remarkably is the equivalent of 24 normal-sized chicken eggs. If you can obtain one, cook it and open it, then one Ostrich egg can feed up to 10 people.
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A typical egg is 200 mm tall, with a circumference of c. 450 mm, provides 2,000 calories and 144 g of protein. The latter is three times an adult’s recommended daily protein allowance but Ostrich eggs also contain calcium, iron and vitamin A while being lower in cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken eggs. However, at 4 mm thick, the smooth, shiny shell is so tough that cracking an egg open takes more than the back of a spoon - much more!
From experience, we have actually soft-boiled an Ostrich egg in what might called a parody of an ancient Roman recipe for ‘soft eggs in a pine kernel sauce’ (Apicius, 7.13.3). The details behind that particular escapade, and the Apician recipe itself, can be found here. Suffice to say, soft-boiling an Ostrich egg took about 45 - 50 minutes on a rolling boil (in a large cauldron over an open fire).
When it comes to eating, ostrich eggs can be made into an omelette, fried, scrambled, poached, or hard boiled if you have a spare 90 minutes. Remember, however, that these eggs are big, so everything is super-sized. You will need large catering size pans to cook (and cool) the egg, and utensils robust enough to manage the egg’s weight. Even opening an Ostrich egg is a challenge needing either a hammer to (carefully) break in or a saw to cut through the shell. And for boiled eggs, you will need a large dish or bowl to double as an egg cup. So, with the various pitfalls in mind, what follows are some simple (relatively speaking) ways to cook Ostrich eggs.
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One final note, in the UK the Ostrich laying season runs from April to August. At the time of writing, and obviously when in season, Waitrose & Co are selling ‘Clarence Court’ Ostrich eggs for £19.99 each. Bon appétit!