Recipe of the Week: Quail Egg Arancini

Make leftover risotto into scrumptious arancini balls for a fabulous starter, light bite or canape.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes  COOK TIME: 20 minutes Serves 12

Ingredients:

400g leftover risotto, cold

12 Clarence Court quails eggs

50g plain flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cayenne pepper

1 egg, beaten well

100g dried breadcrumbs

1 small bunch of sage leaves

Vegetable oil for deep fat frying

200g homemade or good quality rape seed mayonnaise

1 teaspoon baby capers, rinsed, dried and chopped

A small bunch of dill, parsley and basil, leaves chopped

Method:

1. Start by mixing the leftover risotto, if it is very dry add a little beaten egg if needed.

2. Boil the quails eggs to soft boil, usually around 1 and a half to 2 minutes. Plunge into cold water and when cooled peel and place to one side.

3. Take 3 plates, mix the flour with salt, pepper and a good pinch of cayenne pepper on one. Have the beaten egg on another plate and the dried breadcrumbs on another plate.

4. Take a small ball of cooled risotto and flatten into a rough disk place an egg in the centre of the disc and pat into a little ball with extra risotto or needed. Roll the ball in the seasoned flour, dip into the beaten egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs. Place on another plate and repeat until you have 12 breadcrumbed arancini. Pop them in the fridge whilst you heat the vegetable oil and make the mayonnaise.

5. Heat 5 inches of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Meanwhile make the mayo. Spoon the mayonnaise into a small mixing bowl and add the capers. Chop the herb leaves a little and add them to a pestle and mortar with a little pinch of sea salt, bash the leaves well until you make a paste and stir through the mayo. Season well the pepper.

6. When the oil is hot enough (test with a piece of bread, when it turns lovely and golden the oil is ready) carefully fry 2 arancini at a time turning if needed until the breadcrumbs are golden. Lift out with a slotted spoon on to kitchen roll. Pick the sage leaves and add them to the oil, fry for a few seconds and lift out with the slotted spoon on to the paper. Put the arancini into a bowl and scatter over the fried sage leaves. Serve immediately with the herby mayo or cold as part of a picnic.

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