The best Scotch eggs

Name: The best Scotch eggs
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Handful ice cubes, for cooling; 6 No.1 Longstock Gold Free Range Eggs; 450 g pack pork sausagemeat; 1 tsp English mustard; ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper; ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus more to serve, if liked; 2 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients ’Nduja Paste; 25 g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped; 20 g pack chives, finely chopped; 25 g plain flour

A runny egg is must, says Martha Collison. Her recipe for mouthwatering Scotch eggs includes spicy ’nduja – perfect against the richness of the coating, and makes these something to remember.

5 out of 5 stars(4) Rate this recipe

Serves6
CourseLunch
Prepare30 mins
Cook35 mins
Total time1 hr 5 mins
Pluschilling

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Ingredients

Handful ice cubes, for cooling
6 No.1 Longstock Gold Free Range Eggs
450g pack pork sausagemeat
1 tsp English mustard
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus more to serve, if liked
2 tbsp Cooks’ Ingredients ’Nduja Paste
½ x 25g pack flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ x 20g pack chives, finely chopped
25g plain flour

For the coating & to fry

2 Essential Free Range White Eggs, beaten
25g plain flour
150g Cooks’ Ingredients Panko Breadcrumbs
1 L vegetable oil, for frying

Method

Fill a medium saucepan with boiling water and prepare a small bowl of iced water. Add the 6 eggs to the saucepan and boil for 5 minutes for a runny yolk, or 6 minutes for a firm centre, then plunge immediately into the iced water and allow to cool.
Using clean hands, mix the sausagemeat with the mustard, black pepper, salt, ’nduja paste and chopped herbs until well combined, then divide evenly into 6. Tip the flour onto a plate and prepare 2 sheets of clingfilm ready for shaping.
Carefully peel the eggs (see my tip, below) and roll each in the flour. Take 1/6 of the sausage meat mixture and place between the sheets of clingfilm, using your hands to press it down and spread it into a circle large enough to wrap the egg completely. Peel off the top layer of clingfilm and place an egg in the centre. Use the bottom sheet of clingfilm to help you gather up the edges and seal the egg completely in the sausage meat, squeezing gently. Unwrap and place on a plate, then use the clingfilm to repeat the process with the remaining eggs.
Cover, then chill the sausage-wrapped eggs for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the 2 eggs for the coating in a shallow bowl and put the flour and breadcrumbs onto separate plates.
When ready to fry, take each sausage-coated egg and roll it in the flour, then the egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with the coating of egg and breadcrumbs once more, so it is well covered. Repeat with the others. Chill until ready to fry.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until it registers 150ºC on a thermometer. A small piece of bread takes around 45 seconds to turn golden brown. Fry the eggs in 2 batches, cooking each for 10-12 minutes and turning often until evenly browned and crisp, and the sausagemeat is cooked through with no pink bits of meat.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the oil and drain on a sheet of kitchen paper. Season with sea salt flakes while warm, if liked, then slice and serve. Delicious as a starter or lunch, or allow to cool, chill and pack for a picnic.

Cook’s tip

Peeling eggs
Peeling a soft-boiled egg is a delicate business! I recommend gently tapping it on your work surface, then rolling it carefully to loosen the shell. Peel away the shell and membrane under a stream of running water and you’ll end up with a completely intact egg.

Mix it up
A quick, easy way to experiment with other flavours in your Scotch egg is to use different types of sausages. Leave out the ’nduja and swap the sausagemeat for 7 pork & caramelised red onion, pork & Bramley apple or chorizostyle sausages for a change.