Scotch Quail Eggs with Herb Salad

Freshly prepared scotch eggs are a forgotten dish which used to appear regularly on pubs menus. They are eggs that are simply boiled and coated in sausage meat, crumbed and deep fried. Quail eggs make a nice change and work well in a salad.

Preheat the oil in a deep fryer or deep saucepan or wok to 350°. Mix the sausage meat with the finely chopped herbs and season with a little salt and pepper. Flatten a dessert spoon of the sausage meat in the palm of your hand and wrap an egg in the meat and repeat this with all the eggs. Place the flour on a plate or bowl and season it with a little salt and pepper, place the beaten egg in a bowl and the breadcrumbs on a plate or bowl. Roll the quail eggs in the flour then the eggs and finally the breadcrumbs, so that they are well coated with the breadcrumbs. Set them aside until ready to cook. If you are preparing them in advance cover them and refrigerate them until ready to cook.

To Cook: Deep fry a few eggs at a time (do not overcrowd) in the preheated oil for 2 minutes turning them with a slotted spoon so that all sides are cooked. Remove the eggs from the deep fryer with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper toweling. Serve hot (you may wish to keep them in a warm oven while you cook the remaining eggs).