Black Pudding

Finely dice the onions and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 275°F (260°F) fan bake or 300°F (350°F) conventional.

Cut the back fat into 5 mm dice; reserve about 2 tablespoons for cooking the onions and refrigerate the remaining fat.

Melt the reserved 2 tablespoons of fat in a pan over low heat, add the diced onions and gently sweat for 15 minutes until very soft without browning.

Add the oats to the pan and toss through the onions, then transfer the mixture onto a flat tray and let it cool to room temperature.

Strain the pig's blood into a large mixing bowl and whisk in the heavy cream, salt, allspice, coriander, nutmeg, white pepper and chilli flakes.

Stir in the cooled onion‑oat mixture and the diced back fat until well combined.

To check seasoning, fry a teaspoon of the mixture in a pan until firm, taste and adjust salt or spices if needed.

Grease a 1.2 kg (3 lb) loaf tin, give the mixture a final stir and pour it in, then cover tightly with foil.

Place the tin in a roasting tray, add boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the tin, and bake for 75–90 minutes, stirring gently after 20 minutes and re‑covering with foil.

When a skewer inserted into the centre comes out dry and the internal temperature reaches at least 162°F (161°F), remove the tin and cool on a wire rack at room temperature.

Cover the loaf and refrigerate overnight; then slice lengthwise into three rectangular logs and cut each log into 1.5 cm slices.

To serve, fry each slice in a little butter or oil for 2–3 minutes per side until golden.