Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz sugar
• 15g/½oz lemon juice
• 4 Bramley apples
• peeled
• sliced and cored
• 150g/5½oz onion
• finely chopped
• butter
• for frying
• 350g/12oz coarse venison mince
• 150g/5½oz pork belly
• coarsely minced
• 1½ tsp chopped thyme
• 1 garlic clove
• grated
• ½ tsp ground mace
• ¼ ground juniper
• ½ tsp table salt
• plus extra to serve
• ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 6 quails’ eggs
• soft boiled
• shells removed
• 5 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 100g/3½oz plain flour
• 200g/7oz panko breadcrumbs
• vegetable oil
• for deep frying

Directions

• For the apple sauce
• in a saucepan
• bring 300ml/10½fl oz water
• the sugar and lemon juice to the boil. Add the sliced apple and cook until soft.
• Blend to a purée using a hand-held blender
• then pass through a sieve and leave at room temperature.
• For the scotch eggs
• gently fry the onions in a little butter until soft but not coloured. Set aside to cool.
• In a bowl combine the venison mince
• pork belly mince
• thyme
• cooled onions
• garlic
• mace
• juniper
• salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 85g/3oz balls. Press your thumb into the middle of each ball to make a hole. Push a quails’ eggs into each hole
• then push the mince over the top to encase the quails' egg. Place on a baking tray and transfer to the fridge to chill.
• Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C/350F and preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Put the beaten eggs
• flour and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Roll the Scotch eggs into the flour
• patting off any excess. Coat the scotch egg fully in beaten egg
• letting any excess drip off. Finally roll the Scotch eggs in breadcrumbs until fully covered.
• Gently place the scotch eggs into the basket of the deep-fat fryer and lower into the fat. Cook until golden-brown (approximately five minutes). Carefully remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen roll.
• Transfer to the oven for three minutes to ensure the meat is cooked and the egg is warm and still beautifully runny. Remove from the oven sprinkle with a little salt and serve with the apple sauce.