Our dear friend Nigel Daly OBE and his gorgeous better half Lou Salter asked us if we would like to cook something for BritWeek In House 2020 and of course we said YES! I am the Brit so I selected the iconic Scotch Egg for our contribution. Sounded so fun and perfect to make a little cooking video while we are quarantined at home – cut to us trying to figure it out how in the hell to make it TOGETHER YET APART. Couple days of hilarity ensued… we are producers not so much shooters and editors. With a little ingenuity and help from the fam we got it done!
If you’ve never had a Scotch Egg now is the time! A boiled egg wrapped in meat, breaded twice and fried to a golden brown. Crunchy, truly delicious and very easy once you get the hang of it. They are the perfect snack, morning noon or night. Sliced in half or eaten whole, they are the perfect for a picnic, the beach or just hanging around the house. We will both be making them again.
The Scotch Egg has many different origin stories. The one thing everyone agrees on is they have no connection to Scotland. Some believe they originated in Northern Africa, some folks think they came from India, Fortnum and Mason claims to have created them in 1738 and there is also a shop in Yorkshire, William J Scott & Son, that lays claim to the recipe and the name. Originally they were not covered in pork but in a rich, creamy fish paste before being sprinkled with breadcrumbs. Better with some meat and a double dipping of panko I dare say!
Our Scotch Eggs are based on Felicity Cloake’s recipe. She compares many versions of Scotch Eggs before she settles on this delicious one.
The Best Scotch Egg
Makes 4
Ingredients
6 eggs
200g plain sausage meat
200g minced pork
3 tbsp chopped mixed herbs – any mixture of chives, sage, parsley and thyme
A pinch of ground mace
1 tbsp Colman’s English mustard
Splash of milk
50g flour
100g panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, to cook
Optional Seasonings for flour and panko
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Old Bay
Salt and Pepper
Serve with mustard and sprinkle of salt
Instructions
Put four of the eggs into a pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes. Fill a large bowl with water and ice. Take the eggs out after 5 minutes and place into ice bath for 10 minutes.
2. Put the meat, herbs, mace and mustard into a bowl, season and mix well with you hands or a spoon. Divide into four.
3. Peel the eggs. Beat the two raw eggs together in a bowl with a bit of milk. Put the flour into a second bowl and season with salt, pepper (I like to add Old Bay), put the breadcrumbs into a third bowl, and season. Arrange in a row.
4. Put a large piece of saran wrap on your work surface, and dust lightly with flour. Put one of the meatballs in the middle, and flour lightly, then put a second piece of saran wrap on top. Roll out the meat into a thin layer large enough to encase an egg. Remove the top sheet of clingfilm.
5. To assemble the egg, roll one peeled egg in flour, then put in the center of the meat. Bring up the sides of the film to encase it, and smooth it into an egg shape with your hands. Make sure your layer of meat in thin. If your eggs are small you might have too much meat. Pinch off any extra meat and shape until smooth. Dip each egg in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, then repeat egg and then breadcrumbs.
6. Fill a wok or pan a third full of vegetable oil, and heat to 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 6-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oil to plate with paper towels. Let cool a couple minutes then carefully slice in half.
Notes
It’s important to have a thin layer around your egg. Depending on the size of your eggs you might have enough pork mixture to make another couple eggs!
I prefer using a smaller egg for Scotch Eggs – not jumbos
The trickiest part is getting a nice thin layer of meat around your Egg.
Scotch Egg’s are best served with some Colman’s English Mustard and a sprinkle of curry salt – mix a little of your favorite curry powder (S&B curry powder is a good one) with some salt. Enjoy with a cold pint of beer. Cheers!
