Black pudding Scotch quail egg sliders

Makes 10 Starters and mains

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Method

Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to the boil over high heat. Once the water is on a rolling boil, carefully drop the quail eggs into it and cook for 1 minute. Ladle the eggs out and quickly dunk them into a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process. Peel the eggs carefully and set them aside.

Put the black pudding in a small food processor and process until crumbly. Put the black pudding and sausage mince in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix together until well combined. Scoop a heaped tablespoon of the mince and, with cleaned hands, roll it into a ball, then flatten it into a disc in the palm of your hand. Place a quail egg in the centre, wrap the mince over the egg – making sure the egg is fully sealed inside – then roll it back into a ball and place on a tray. Repeat the process until all the mince and eggs are used.

Prepare 3 separate bowls of flour, beaten egg and panko crumbs, ready for coating. Roll each mince ball in flour, shake off any excess, then dip it in the beaten egg, making sure it is fully coated, and then, finally, roll it in the panko crumbs. You can coat the ball twice in beaten egg and panko crumbs for a better crust. Repeat with the rest of the mince balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before frying.

Pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan until about one-third full, then heat the oil to 190°C/375°F over medium–high heat. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by dipping a wooden chopstick into the hot oil — if the oil starts steadily bubbling around the chopstick, it’s ready. Working in batches, deep-fry the Scotch eggs for 3 minutes, or until golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. To serve, put a dollop of wasabi mayo on the bottom halves of the buns, top with a Scotch egg, then cover with the bun tops. Use a toothpick to secure a cornichon on top of each slider.