• As fashionable as they are old-fashioned, these can be made ahead and just deep-fried at the last minute. They’re also great cold the next day or simply served at room temperature.

    Scotch quail eggs with Maldon salt

    Serves: 36 halves
    Cooking Time: 30 mins

    Ingredients

    • 18 quail eggs, available at Thrupps or good supermarkets on request
    • 16 sausages
    • 220g breadcrumbs
    • Maldon salt, to serve

    Instructions

    1

    Boil the eggs for 10 minutes, remove, cool completely and peel.

    2

    Take the sausages out of their cases and put in a large bowl. Pinch just under half a sausage between your fingers and roll around the egg. It is sticky work, so you may want to wet your fingers first. Roll them in the breadcrumbs and set onto wax paper. Refrigerate until needed.

    3

    When you are ready to cook them, heat the oil in a large frying pan until very hot. With a slotted spoon, place the eggs in the oil three at a time and cook for about 5 minutes. Watch that theydon’t burn, but you do want to cook the pork meat through.

    4

    When ready, remove and drain on paper towel, halve and serve with a pile of salt on the side.

    Notes

    Use six eggs if quail eggs are unavailable.