Thursday, January 13, 2011

Scotch Eggs



While the London department store Fortnum & Mason lays claim to originating the Scotch egg in 1738, I had my first one at an Irish pub in Dublin back in the summer of 1999; I have loved them ever since.  Fortunately a local Scottish restaurant keeps them on their permanent menu, so I can get a quick fix whenever the crave hits, but it's cheaper and more convenient to make them at home.  Plus, it's FUN, and they never fail to be a hit.


These can be served warm or at room temperature, so don't worry about not being to make a lot of them all at once, you don't want to crowd the pan or you'll run the risk of them knocking into each other and pulling off some of the coating.  You can keep them warm in the oven on a low setting, if desired, but placed on a rack to drain after frying will suffice.  Also, if you don't have (or don't want) a deep fryer, don't let that deter you from making these.  A heavy, deep pan will work just fine.


SCOTCH EGGS

1 1/4 pounds bulk sausage, variety of your choice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon rubbed, dried sage
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 hard-boiled large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup plain bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for deep-frying the eggs

Combine the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Remove mixture from bowl and divide into four equal portions; flatten each portion into a thin round. Wrap each hard-boiled egg to cover in one of the sausage rounds, pressing carefully to seal completely.  Dredge the sausage-coated eggs in the flour, then dip them into the beaten egg.  Allow the excess egg to drip off and then carefully roll in the bread crumbs, coating well.  Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 350°F.   Carefully lower the eggs into the hot oil and fry 4-5 minutes until the sausage is thoroughly cooked, turn turning once during the cooking.  Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil to drain on a paper towel. Serve with a spicy mustard sauce.



If recipes for pub food interest you, I recommend this book.  It's fun to read and is full of easy-to-prepare recipes for dishes like Scotch Rabbit, Cock-a-Leekie, oatmeal cookies, Scottish shortbread, and many others.

The Scottish-Irish Pub and Hearth Cookbook


This is linked to Foodie Friday.




 Weekend Bloggy Reading



12 comments:

Cathy said...

I've heard of Scotch Eggs but have never had the opportunity to try them. They are so pretty on the plate and I imagine they are delicious as well. This would be great Superbowl Sunday fare.

Donnie said...

I've heard of them but not sure I have ever eaten any. My grandmother was Norwegian and we ate something similar. Looks good.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

I just talked to my bff who was making these for a Scottish Burns Night event...very pretty photos of this dish!!!

susan said...

I have heard of these and always wanted to try them! It sounds a little complicated but worth it!

Lyndsay Wells said...

So awesome! I have never had scotch eggs and they look so good. I'm very interested in pub and diner food - thanks for a great post my friend.

Elizabeth said...

Scotch eggs are the bomb! They are also easy to adapt to low carb without the breading. Of course, they don't taste nearly as good;)

Amy said...

Interesting....I've never tried one of these before and I'm sure they are delicious! :)

I'm having the very first GIVEAWAY on my blog. Please stop by to submit your entry. Good Luck! http://utry.it/2011/01/happy-birthday-to-meand-very-first.html#comments

~ ~ Ahrisha ~ ~ said...

Thanks so much. I haven't had a scotch egg in years so now I will have to make a few.
~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

Paula@SweetPea said...

I've never heard of these, but I know that I would like them! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

I'm visiting from Amanda's party.

Wendy @ Ramblings from the Sunshine State said...

Sounds interesting!

Visiting from Serenity Now!

Patty said...

Oh this is great! I found you on Serenity Now and I'm glad I did. My husband LOVES Scotch eggs and scarfs them down when we're visiting friends in England. I never thought to make them at home!

Amanda @ Serenity Now said...

Ooooh my goodness!! Those look scrumptious. I love tasting recipes from other countries and cultures. Thanks for sharing! :)