Add together ½ pint milk, thyme, bay leaf and cracked black pepper in a pot and place over a medium heat.
Once it is smoking, add the haddock fillets and poach gently until cooked.
Once cooked, remove the haddock from the liquid. You can keep the milk aside and use it to make Cullen Skink another night, as it will have a delicious smoky flavour.
To make the Scotch eggs:
Fill a pan of water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, add the quail’s eggs and boil for exactly 2 minutes and 25 seconds. Take the eggs from the boiling water and peel off the shell, then set aside.
Chop the peeled potatoes, then bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook for 10 – 15 minutes, or until tender enough to mash.
Once cooked, drain the potatoes and mash them with a potato masher or a fork. Add the haddock to the mash and mix together
Add cracked black pepper to season, then add the chopped dill and lemon zest and mix together.
Carefully take a large spoonful of the potato and haddock mix in your hand and carefully place a quail’s egg in the middle, then wrap the potato mix around in ball. You have to be very carefully and delicate at this stage.
Once you’ve rolled all of your eggs, place the flour; breadcrumbs and egg wash in three separate bowls.
Coat each egg by rolling it in the flour, egg wash and then the breadcrumbs, and then carefully, with your hands, roll each egg so it forms a perfect round shape.
Pre-heat your fryer to 180° and placed the eggs in carefully. Fry until golden.
Carefully remove each egg and place onto kitchen paper then season with a pinch of salt
To serve:
The secret is to cook your quail’s eggs for exactly the right time, so when you cut into each egg, the yolk will spill out perfectly.