Ingredients

• 4 free-range duck eggs
• 115g/4oz flour
• 2 free-range eggs
• lightly beaten
• 115g/4oz breadcrumbs
• 1 medium celeriac
• peeled
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 50g/2oz butter
• 1 sprig thyme
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp grated truffle
• 1 handful celery leaves
• 1 handful watercress
• leaves picked
• 1 fresh truffle
• finely shaved

Directions

• Bring a pan of salted water to a rolling boil. Lower the duck eggs in with a slotted spoon and boil for six minutes. Drain the eggs and place in ice-cold water for 30 minutes.
• Place the flour into a wide shallow bowl
• the beaten eggs in another bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
• Peel the duck eggs and roll them in flour
• then the beaten eggs and finally in the breadcrumbs. Place them on a baking tray and set aside
• covered
• in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Season the whole celeriac with salt and pepper.
• Place a heavy-based oven-proof frying pan over a medium heat. Add the vegetable oil then fry the celeriac gently until golden-brown all over. This will take about 30 minutes. (You will need to balance the celeriac on the side of the frying pan to colour it on all sides.)
• When the celeriac is golden-brown all over
• add the butter and the thyme sprig. Place the celeriac into the oven
• and bake for 20-30 minutes
• basting the celeriac with the butter 2-3 times
• or until soft and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
• When cool enough
• slice the celeriac very thinly.
• Finely julienne a few slices of the celeriac and mix with the mayonnaise.
• Whisk the lemon juice
• olive oil and grated truffle together with a pinch of salt and black pepper to make a dressing.
• Dress the slices of celeriac with the truffle dressing and a pinch of sea salt.
• Heat a deep fat fryer to 190C/375F or place enough oil in a large saucepan to come halfway up the pan and heat until a bread cube dropped in the oil sizzles and turns golden-brown. (CAUTION: Hot oil may be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Deep-fry the egg straight from the fridge for one minute or until the breadcrumbs are golden-brown. Remove the egg from the oil with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain onto kitchen paper.
• To serve
• divide the slices of celeriac among four serving plates - arrange them to get height and show texture.
• Place a spoonful of the finely sliced celeriac in mayonnaise (remoulade) in the centre of each plate.
• Cut the top off each egg to reveal the runny yolk and place the egg on top of the celeriac.
• Scatter the celery and watercress leaves and truffle slices over the dish and serve.