Southern-fried quail with blue cheese dressing

• buttermilk↗100ml ml
• ground cumin↗¼ tsp tsp
• quails↗3

  split in half through the middle so you have six halves

• sunflower oil↗

  for deep-frying

• celery leaves↗

  to serve (optional)

• mayonnaise↗4 tbsp tbsp
• buttermilk↗4 tbsp tbsp
• soft blue cheese↗40g g

  crumbled

• celery saltpinch pinch
• plain flour↗250g g
• cayenne pepper↗½ tsp tsp
• onion salt½ tsp tsp
• dried oregano↗¼ tsp tsp
• chilli flakes↗¼ tsp tsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Mix the 100ml buttermilk, cumin and a large pinch of salt together in a bowl. Put the quail halves in the buttermilk mix so they are completely covered, then chill for at least 6 hrs or overnight.

2. 2

   To make the dressing, beat the mayonnaise, buttermilk, cheese and celery salt together – don’t worry if it’s not totally smooth. Keep chilled.

3. 3

   When ready to cook, mix all the spiced flour ingredients together. Heat a deep-fat fryer or a deep pan with sunflower oil to 175C. Remove the quail from the fridge, then dip each half in the spiced flour and carefully drop them in the fryer.

4. 4

   Fry for about 6 mins until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper and leave to rest for 2 mins or so. Pile onto a large serving plate, put the blue cheese sauce on the side for dipping, and scatter over the celery leaves, if you like.