Rodney (my builder) brought me four dozen eggs laid by the quails reared by his brother, Terry.  I’ve tried two recipes to get the best out of such a special gift:

Not-so-mini Scotch eggs – watch me make them on YouTube

Each quail egg in the middle of a crisp and spicy coat of sausage meat and black pudding.

Outstanding while warm from the oven and still delicious halved as canapés.

Don’t expect these oven-cooked Scotch eggs to look as dark brown as the deep-fried versions – although they are paler, less calories!

Oriental canapés – watch me make them on YouTube

These quail eggs marinaded in soy sauce with sesame seed dip are tasty nibbles to go with drinks.

As soon as the sesame seeds start making cracking noises in the pan, keep them moving and remove from the heat once they have started to give up their distinctive sesame smell.

The eggs make cracking noises as they cook which can seem quite alarming!

Soft-boiled quail eggs only need about a minute simmering if first covered by boiling water, about two minutes for hard-boiled.

Penny Melville-Brown OBE

All the recipes are available at www.bakingblind.com

You Tube

penny@bakingblind.com