By now it’s needless to say that I have been in the kitchen testing new recipes, and others that are not so new, but that it had been long since I had prepared them. The Parisian summer this year is threatening to not let me do a decent picnic, but either way, I am getting ready for the food to be yummy and leave a mark deep in my guests hearts. Therefore, today’s recipe I haven’t prepared for about 20 years or so, however, last time I was in London, my dear friend Laura took me to Fortnum and Mason, a famous store in the Piccadilly Circus area where I saw them on display. I wasn’t yet conscious that it had been them who had invented this excellent picnic dish. In the midst of all the shilly-shallying of going on the picnic, I decided to “train myself” before the moment of filling the basket to go to a park nearby. Here’s what I prepared:
Scotch Eggs
Equipment
- 2 Medium pots
- Food processor
- Chopping board
- Chef's Knife
- Medium bowl
- 3 small bowls or soup bowls
- Spatula
- Fork
- Skimmer or Slotted spoon
- Sheet pan with cooling rack
Ingredients
- 7 eggs
- 400 g sausage originally pork, but any kind of sausage will work
- 1/4 onion
- 1/2 bunch chives
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
- 100 g All-Purpose flour
- 200 g panko or breadcrumbs
- 200 ml Frying oil
Instructions
- Hard-boil 4 eggs for 10 minutes after boiling begins in a medium pot. A splash of white vinegar is always a good option when boiling eggs. It works as an antiseptic. Cut the cooking process with ice-cold water when ready.
- Use a food processor to grind and mix the sausages, onion, parsley, one raw egg, salt and pepper. You should obtain something that would look like hamburger meat or a raw meatloaf.
- Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cover them with the processed sausage mix.
- Bread them by covering lightly with the flour, then the beaten egg and lastly coat them with panko or breadcrumbs. Fry them. It is easier to do in a deep fryer, since goldening is the only thing we are looking for. When ready, take out and leave to the side to drip the excessive oil on the tray with the rack.
- Remember that to avoid breaded preparations to be greasy deep frying in hot oil is always the best option. I frequently use peanut oil and bring it up to about 340 °F (170 °C). To achieve this, I recommend that you use a thermometer that allows you to control the temperature at all times. Also, when you finish doing the frying, dispose of the oil responsibly after it cools down.
- The side dish I chose was a green salad. Scotch eggs can be served hot or at room temperature. Remember they are picnic-friendly food, hence it’s not necessary for them to be warmed up. Accompany with yellow English mustard.
Here are Fortnum & Mason’s original version… Yes, they are much more beautiful than mine, however, in my defense, they’ve been preparing them since 1728.
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