• Fast
• Healthy
• Make-Ahead

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2. 2 dozen quail eggs (see Note)
3. 6 cups water
4. Three 3-inch strips of lemon zest
5. 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
6. 2 bay leaves
7. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
8. 1 star anise pod
9. Kosher salt
10. 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled down to the tails, and deveined
11. 2 pounds haricots verts
12. 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
13. 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
14. 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
15. Freshly ground pepper
16. 1 bunch of arugula (6 ounces), large stems discarded
17. 2 medium shallots, minced

Directions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a simmer and add the white wine vinegar. Add the quail eggs and simmer over moderate heat until hard-cooked, about 7 minutes. Drain the eggs and crack the shells against the side of the pan. Fill the pan with cold water and let stand until the eggs are cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the 6 cups of water with the lemon zest, cracked pepper, bay leaves, fennel seeds, star anise and 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer the court bouillon (seasoned water) for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer just until cooked, about 2 minutes. Drain the shrimp in a colander; let cool. Pick out and discard any bits of seasoning.
3. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the haricots verts until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well and spread the beans out on a baking sheet to cool.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the sherry vinegar with the mustard. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
5. Peel the quail eggs and halve them lengthwise. In a large bowl, toss the arugula with 1 tablespoon of the dressing and spread on a platter. In the same bowl, gently toss the haricots verts with the shallots, quail eggs and all but 1 tablespoon of the remaining dressing. Mound the haricot vert salad on the arugula. Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of dressing. Top the haricots verts with the shrimp and serve.

Make Ahead

The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 up to 1 day in advance. Refrigerate the shrimp, haricots verts, eggs and dressing separately.

Notes

Instead of quail eggs, you can use 6 large chicken eggs; boil for 10 minutes and halve lengthwise.