directions

1. Turn the grill on to a high heat and cook the black pudding until hot throughout but not too crisp. Set aside until completely cool, then crumble into small pieces.

2. Place the mashed potato in a bowl and stir in the black pudding, Gruyère and mustard, mashing with a fork to combine everything well. Season with black pepper. Place the mixture in the fridge and chill for one hour.

3. Divide the potato mixture into 16 even portions and roll into balls.

4. Place the flour in a wide, shallow bowl and season with salt and black pepper. Beat the eggs in a second bowl and place the breadcrumbs in a third.

5. One at a time, roll the balls in the flour, followed by the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Roll each ball in the egg a second time, then the breadcrumbs once again. Place the coated balls on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.

6. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to a temperature of 180˚C, or fill a deep saucepan with oil to a depth of 5cm and place over a high heat until a breadcrumb dropped into the oil begins to sizzle immediately.

7. Working in small batches to avoid dropping the temperature of the oil, fry the croquettes for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden, gently flipping them over with a slotted spoon halfway through. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Allow the oil 30-40 seconds after each batch to come back up to temperature.

8. Serve the croquettes immediately with apple sauce for dipping. Alternatively, allow to cool completely, then store in the fridge for up to two days. Reheat in a preheated oven at 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4 for 20 minutes or until piping hot throughout.