Scotch Eggs

Prep Time:

24 minutes

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Serves:

Makes 9

The origin of the Scotch egg is disputed. Fortnum & Mason claims it invented the portable snack for well-heeled travellers in 1738. Other accounts point to a 19th-century J. Scott & Son version covered in fish paste, or to a spiced Indian dish from the same period.

You can make Scotch eggs with your favourite sausage meat and use quail, hen or duck eggs. I use a Wiltshire sausage-meat recipe that I have adapted.

Ingredients

1kg Sausage meat
9 eggs
125g plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper
2 eggs beaten
150g Panko crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Method

1 Bring a pan of water to the boil and add the eggs with a slotted spoon
2 Cook for 7 ½ minutes then submerge the eggs into iced water
3 Crack the shells to make them easier to peel
4 Once cold, remove the shells and dry on kitchen paper
5 Roll the eggs in seasoned flour and shake off the excess flour
6 Dip into the beaten eggs
7 Then roll in panko crumbs
8 Heat the vegetable oil to 170°C in a fryer or heavy-bottomed pan
9 Cook the eggs in batches of 3 for 9 minutes, until golden brown and the centre of the sausage meat reaches 75°C for 30 seconds
10 Drain on a wire rack
11 Allow to cool until warm to the touch, then enjoy with your favourite pickle, mustard or simply by themselves