Blackberry scotch eggs

MAKES 4

INGREDIENTS

■ 5 medium free-range eggs

(including 1 beaten)

■ 400g good-quality

sausage meat

■ 150g blackberries

■ 40g dried breadcrumbs

■ 6 sage leaves, finely chopped

To coat

■ 30g flour

■ 60g dried breadcrumbs

■ Oil for deep frying

For the coulis

■ 150g blackberries

■ 30ml balsamic vinegar

■ 1 tsp brown sugar

1

For the coulis, place the ingredients in a small pan and simmer for 5 minutes until the fruit has softened. Remove from the heat and push the sauce through a sieve, discarding the pips. Set aside to cool.

2

Bring a pan of water to the boil, carefully add four of the eggs and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove from the pan and immediately place them in iced water to stop them cooking further. Gently crack the shells and leave to cool in the water. Once cool, peel away the shells. 3

Combine the sausage meat with the blackberries, allowing some to get crushed in the mix, and stir in the 40g of breadcrumbs, the sage and some salt and pepper. 4

Divide the mix into four. With wet hands, shape a quarter of the mix into a round and flatten it. Take a boiled egg and press the meat around it until it is encased. Repeat with the remaining eggs. 5

Heat the oil in a deep pan or fryer to 160ºc/320ºf. Place the beaten egg, flour and 60g of breadcrumbs on separate plates.

Dip each egg first into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Carefully add the eggs to the hot oil – you may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your fryer – and cook for 6-8 minutes, turning a couple of times, until the coating is golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper before serving with the coulis.