Scotch Eggs With Fresh Herbs Recipes

DELIA SMITH'S TRADITIONAL SCOTCH EGGS WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Hard-boil the eggs by covering them in cold water, bringing it to the boil, simmering gently for 9 minutes and cooling them under cold running water.
• Next, mix the sausage meat with the spring onions and herbs and season well. Then shell the cooled eggs and coat each one with some seasoned flour.
• Divide the sausage meat into four portions and pat each piece out on a floured surface to a shape of roughly 5 x 3 inches (13 x 7.5 cm). Now place an egg in the center of each piece and carefully gather up the sausage meat to cover the egg completely. Seal the joins well, and smooth and pat into shape all over.
• Next, coat them one by one, first in beaten egg and then thoroughly and evenly in the breadcrumbs.
• Now heat 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) of oil in a deep frying pan up to a temperature of 350-375 degrees F (180-190 degrees C). (If you don't have a thermometer, you can easily test the temperature by frying a small cube of bread- if it turns golden brown within a minute, the oil is hot enough). Put the eggs into the oil and fry for 6-8 minutes, turning frequently until they have turned a nice brown color. Drain on crumpled silicone paper (parchment), or paper towels.
• Serve warm or cold. May be served whole, or halved. Good with mustard or chutney, for dipping.

VELVET SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs plus 1/4 cup of milk or cream until no longer stringy, about 1 minute. Over medium-low heat, melt butter in a large nonstick saute pan. Pour the eggs into a pan and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently stir the eggs and cook over low heat. The eggs will turn creamy with soft curds. When the eggs have nearly lost the "raw look" toss in the marjoram, thyme, scallion, Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper and stir to distribute. Once the eggs are no longer runny, but still very creamy and moist, immediately pour a little splash of milk (1 or 2 teaspoons) on the eggs to stop the cooking, and remove the eggs from the heat. Serve immediately with wedges of lemon as garnish and Green Salad.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and the vinegar. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss the green salad with the vinaigrette and serve.

FORTNUM AND MASONS AUTHENTIC SCOTCH EGGS WITH SAUSAGE AND HERBS

Steps:

• Hard-boil 4 of the eggs by covering in cold water, bringing to the boil and simmering for 5 minutes. Then pop them into cold water to cool quickly and avoid a black ring around the yolk.
• Beat the fifth egg in a shallow plate and leave to one side. Put the flour in another shallow plate with a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and then put the breadcrumbs on another plate.
• Add the herbs, mace and spring onions to the sausage meat, mix well with your hands and then divide into 4 portions. (Add the optional mixed spice at this stage if using.) Shell the hard-boiled eggs and roll in the seasoned flour. Then flatten and mould a portion of sausage meat around each egg, making sure there are no gaps. Roll and coat in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
• Heat a good 4 cm of oil in a small, deep frying pan or saucepan (big enough to hold the 4 eggs at once or two at a time) until it is hot enough to brown a small cube of bread in 60 seconds.
• Fry the coated eggs for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning them until they are brown all over and the sausage meat is cooked. Drain quickly on kitchen paper and leave to cool.
• When the Scotch eggs are completely cold you can keep them in the fridge until you are ready to transport them.
• You could use the same recipe for quails eggs (obviously using more of the tiny eggs) and this would make an elegant gourmet picnic starter with some pretty salad leaves and some mustard dressing.

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.