Quail Scotch Eggs

Place the quail eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Plunge the eggs into cold water for 5 minutes, then peel and dry them on paper towels.

Heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan and cook the garlic, thyme and oregano until soft. Cool. Pulse the pork mince in a food processor to make a smoother paste. Add the salt, white wine, nutmeg and the cooled garlic herb mix. Season well. Using wet hands take a spoonful of the mince and mould it around each quail egg ensuring it is totally covered.

Break the hen’s egg into a shallow dish, season and whisk well. Place the panko crumbs in another shallow dish. Dip each quail’s egg in the beaten egg then roll in the crumbs.

Heat about 3 cm of canola oil in a wok or saucepan to 180°C on a thermometer. Add the eggs and cook for 2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and cool.

Serve with your favourite chutney or relish.

Panko crumbs: These flaky Japanese dried bread crumbs create a deliciously crunchy crust. They are readily available from Asian supermarkets.