Name: Crab scotch quail’s eggs
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 6 quail’s eggs; 250g mixed white and brown crabmeat; chopped to make 1/2 tbsp tarragon; chopped to make 1/2 tbsp dill; 1 egg yolk; 2 tbsp breadcrumbs; 75g plain flour; 1 whole egg beaten; 75g (whizz in a food processor if you like a slightly finer crumb) panko breadcrumbs; l for frying vegetable or rapeseed oi; sea salt; 2 egg yolks; 1 tsp English mustard; 1/2 clove garlic crushed; 2 tsp lemon juice; a pinch coarse salt; 150ml light olive oil

6 quail’s eggs
250g mixed white and brown crabmeat
chopped to make 1/2 tbsp tarragon
  chopped to make 1/2 tbsp dill
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp breadcrumbs
75g plain flour
1 whole egg
beaten 
75g (whizz in a food processor if you like a slightly finer crumb) panko breadcrumbs
l  for frying vegetable or rapeseed oi
sea salt

MAYO

2 egg yolks
1 tsp English mustard
1/2 clove garlic
crushed
2 tsp lemon juice
a pinch coarse salt
150ml light olive oil

Method

step 1
For the mustard mayo, put the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, lemon and salt into a small food processor and blend until pale and foamy, for about 1 minute. Alternatively, make it in a small bowl and whisk. Pour the olive oil slowly into the mixture, blending/whisking continuously, in a steady stream until combined. If the mayo is too thick, continue to blend or whisk as you carefully add 1-2 tbsp warm water.
step 2
Add the quail’s eggs to a pan of simmering salted water and cook for 3 minutes, then immediately remove to a bowl of iced water. Once cool, gently peel the eggs by slightly crushing the shells on a surface first – you may find this easier under cold running water – and set aside.
step 3
Combine the crabmeat, tarragon, dill, egg yolk and breadcrumbs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Make sure all of the ingredients are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture. Put a tablespoon of the crab mixture into the centre of your palm and flatten into a disc shape. Put the peeled quail’s egg in the centre and wrap the mixture around the egg, making sure there are no gaps. The mixture will be quite wet but will hold in place. Put on a plate and chill for 1 hour.
step 4
Meanwhile, put the plain flour, beaten egg and panko crumbs into separate bowls. One by one, carefully coat them in flour, then roll in the egg, and lastly coat in the panko crumbs. Put onto a clean plate.
step 5
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan, no more than 1/3 full, to 175C or until a cube of bread browns in 35 seconds, and lower the scotch eggs carefully into the oil, using a slotted spoon, in batches if necessary. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Scoop out and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with the mustard mayo.