Scotch Egg Food

CHEF JOHN'S SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fill a saucepan with 1/2-inch water; bring to a boil. Carefully place cold eggs into saucepan, cover the saucepan with a lid, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until eggs yolks are soft, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and pour cold water over eggs to halt the cooking process. Cool eggs to room temperature in cold water; peel and dry eggs on paper towels.
• Mix sausage, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Shape into 6 equal-size balls.
• Lay a piece of plastic wrap on a flat work surface. Place 1 ball of sausage mixture into the center of the plastic wrap, fold the plastic wrap over sausage, and flatten into an 1/8-inch thick oval shape. Pull plastic wrap back and place 1 egg in the center of the sausage. Pick up plastic wrap, moisten fingertips, and press sausage around egg to cover completely, sealing sausage around egg. Repeat with remaining eggs and sausage.
• Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Pour flour into another shallow bowl. Beat remaining 2 eggs in another shallow bowl.
• Gently press eggs into flour to coat; shake off excess flour. Dip eggs into the beaten egg, then press into bread crumbs. Gently toss between your hands so any bread crumbs that haven't stuck can fall away. Place the breaded eggs onto a plate.
• Working in batches, cook eggs in the preheated oil until golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, at least 5 minutes.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Peel eggs.
• Wrap with sausage meat making sure that no egg shows through.
• Dip in beaten egg, then flour, then egg, then seasoned bread crumbs making sure to get a good seal.
• Deep fry in hot oil 6-7 minutes or until sausage meat is thoroughly cooked.
• Great served with mustard.
• Alternate cooking instructions: Instead of frying you may bake these.
• Heat oven to 425.
• Set a cooking/cooling rack on a cookie sheet.
• Place breaded eggs on cookie sheet.
• Spray breaded eggs with non-stick cooking spray (like PAM).
• Bake for about 30-40 minutes depending upon how thick your sausage layer is.
• Eggs will come out crispy and nicely browned.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Place 6 eggs in a saucepan large enough to accommodate them in a single layer. Fill with cold water, covering eggs by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Cover; let stand 11 minutes. Place eggs in ice-water bath; let cool 2 minutes. Gently press eggs against a hard surface to crack shells, then peel under cold running water.
• Put pork, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1 raw egg, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper into a medium bowl. Using your hands, mix until combined. Using damp hands, break off a 2-inch piece (about 3 ounces) of meat mixture, and flatten into a patty. Place 1 peeled hard-boiled egg in center of patty, and work meat mixture up sides until egg is completely enclosed. Repeat with remaining meat mixture and eggs.
• Dust each wrapped egg with flour. Whisk together remaining raw egg and the milk in a shallow bowl. Place remaining cup breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Roll eggs in milk mixture and then in breadcrumbs to coat.
• Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan until it registers 360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in 2 batches, fry eggs until meat mixture is golden and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels; let drain. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Mix together pork, fennel seed, sage, salt, and pepper. Divide into 8 equal portions. Form a patty in your hand with the first portion. Flatten patty, place egg inside, and keep rolling egg and meat in the palms of your hands, until a thin layer of meat coats the eggs. Repeat this procedure until all the eggs are coated with pork mixture. Chill 20 minutes.
• Dredge chilled, coated eggs first in bread crumbs, then in eggs and bread crumbs again. Chill 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat oil in a large stockpot or saucepan to deep fry temperature (350 degrees F). Fry eggs, 2 or 3 at a time, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a roasting pan and bake 10 minutes. To serve, arrange a bed of Watercress Salad on each serving plate. Slice eggs in half and place 4 halves on top of each salad. Garnish with tomato slices and dollops of Horseradish and Mustard and Mayonnaise for dipping. Serve while eggs are warm.
• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Tear watercress into bite sized pieces and toss with dressing. Reserve in refrigerator.
• Blend ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to use.

PROPER SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Put 8 eggs into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of cold water. Once cooled, carefully peel them.
• Squeeze the sausages out of their skins and into a bowl.
• Pick and finely chop the herb leaves, add to the sausage meat along with a good grating of nutmeg, the mustard and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Give it all a good mix together then divide into 8 balls.
• Have 3 plates ready - one with a small handful of flour, one with the two remaining eggs (beat them together first), and a third with the breadcrumbs.
• Start by flouring your hands, then in the palm of one hand, flatten one of the sausage balls into an oval-shaped pattie.
• Roll a peeled egg in flour, then pop it in the middle of the patty Gently shape the meat evenly around the egg, moulding it with your hands until sealed.
• Roll the meat-wrapped egg in the flour, shake off any excess, then dip into the beaten egg, followed by the breadcrumbs. Roll in the egg and breadcrumbs again for a really good coating.
• Heat the oil in a deep pan or deep fat fryer to about 150ºC/300ºF. If you have a cooking thermometer it's a good idea to use it. Otherwise, test if the oil is hot enough by adding a piece of raw potato and leaving it for about 1 minute - if it sizzles and browns, it's ready.
• Carefully lower the eggs into the pan and cook for 4 minutes, or until golden, turning them every so often. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper (if you're worried about the meat being under-cooked, deep-fry the scotch eggs until they're golden and crispy, then pop them in a hot oven for a couple of minutes.)
• Cool the Scotch eggs slightly, then arrange on board with a good piece of Scottish Cheddar, some pickle and a few pickled onions. Heaven.

THE BEST HOMEMADE SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Put six of the eggs into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes, then put straight into a large bowl of iced water for at least 10 minutes.
• Put the meat, herbs, mace and mustard into a bowl, season and mix well with your hands. Divide into six.
• Carefully peel the eggs. Beat the two raw eggs together in a bowl with a splash of milk. Put the flour in a second bowl and season, then tip the breadcrumbs into a third bowl. Arrange in an assembly line.
• Put a square of clingfilm on the worksurface, and flour lightly. Put one of the meatballs in the centre, and flour lightly, then put another square of cling film on top. Roll out the meat until large enough to encase an egg and remove the top sheet of clingfilm.
• To assemble the egg, roll one peeled egg in flour, then put in the centre of the meat. Bring up the sides of the film to encase it, and smooth it into an egg shape with your hands. Dip each egg in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, then egg and then breadcrumbs.
• Fill a large pan a third full of vegetable oil, and heat to 325F, 170C (or when a crumb of bread sizzles and turns golden, but does not burn, when dropped in it). Cook the eggs a couple at a time, for seven minutes, until crisp and golden, then drain on kitchen paper before serving.

EASY SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Bring a pan of salted water to a rapid boil, then lower four of the eggs into the pan and simmer for 7 mins 30 secs exactly. Scoop out and place in a bowl of iced water, cracking the shells a little (this makes them easier to peel later). Leave them to cool completely, then peel and set aside. Can be boiled the day before.
• Put the sausagemeat, pepper, ham, stuffing and herbs in a small bowl, mix to combine, then divide into four equal balls. Squash one of the balls between a piece of cling film until it's as flat as possible. One at a time, lightly flour each cooked egg, then use the cling film to help roll the sausagemeat around the egg to completely encase. Repeat with the remaining sausageballs and eggs.
• Beat the remaining egg and put on a plate. Put the flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plates. Roll the encased eggs in the flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Can be prepared up to a day in advance.
• To cook the eggs, heat 5cm of the oil in a wide saucepan or wok until it reaches 160C on a cooking thermometer or until a few breadcrumbs turn golden after 10 secs in the oil. Depending on the size of your pan, lower as many eggs as you can into the oil, and cook for 8-10 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, leave to cool a little, then serve halved with some piccalilli.

DIJON SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Carefully lower 8 of the eggs into the boiling water one-by-one with a spoon and cook for 6 minutes. Prepare a bowl of ice water, then transfer the eggs to the bowl to stop the cooking process; let sit for at least 5 minutes. Carefully peel the eggs and set aside.
• Meanwhile, fill a large Dutch oven or heavy pot halfway with canola oil and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F.
• Combine the sausage, 1/4 cup of the mustard and half the parsley in a medium bowl and mix well. Divide the sausage mixture into 8 even balls. Flatten each ball into an oval in your hand, put a peeled egg in the middle of each and wrap the sausage mixture around to completely cover.
• Put the flour in a shallow dish. Crack the remaining egg into another shallow dish, add the remaining 1/4 cup mustard and beat with a fork until well combined. Put the breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish. Dip the sausage-covered eggs first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs to coat.
• Carefully lower the coated eggs one-by-one into the hot oil with a slotted spoon (the oil temperature will drop to around 300 degrees F). Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to remain around 300 degrees F and turning the eggs to ensure even cooking, until golden brown all over and the sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a paper-towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the remaining parsley and gently roll the eggs a few times to coat. Cut each egg in half lengthwise and serve immediately with extra mustard.

SCOTCH EGGS

Steps:

• Peel eggs.
• Divide sausage into 12 equal portions.
• Roll each egg in flour then wrap the sausage around each egg.
• Dip sausage-wrapped eggs into beaten egg and roll in Panko bread crumbs.
• Heat oil to 350F and cook each egg for 4-5 minutes or until sausage is cooked and browned.
• Drain on paper towels and serve warm or cool.