Apple Scotch Eggs

Add vegetable oil into a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring temperature to 150ºC (300ºF).

Place 2 eggs in a bowl of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 4 minutes. Plunge immediately after into a bowl of ice water and leave to cool. Set up 3 bowls: one with the flour, one with the breadcrumbs, and one with the remaining egg, beaten.

Mix sausage with the mustard and parsley. Finely slice the apple and then mash using the side of a knife. Slowly add the apple mixture to the sausage, mixing with each addition. Make sure the mixture doesn’t become too slushy and can still hold its shape.

Once the eggs have cooled, peel them. Take half the sausage meat and use your hands to form into a flat circle. Wrap it around one of the eggs, molding it to the egg with your hands until it is evenly covered. Pinch the ends together to seal. Repeat with the other egg.

Add the sausage-covered eggs to the bowl of flour and roll to cover. Transfer to the bowl of egg and cover in the beaten egg. Transfer to the breadcrumbs and fully coat. Coat again with the egg, followed by breadcrumbs.

Place the eggs into the pan of oil and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning to make sure they are cooked evenly all the way round. Remove and place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. I suggest using a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature of the sausage meat (don’t push it right to the middle). It should have reached 65ºC (150ºF).

Eat while still hot (the best!) or cool, cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.