Scotch Eggs
A perfect Scotch Egg has a slightly runny center. The sausage shell is crisp and thoroughly cooked. A Pub classic - the recipe requires equal parts patience and practice, a dextrous hand and a keen understanding of timing and temperature. A little finagling is totally legit.
12 eggs - two eggs are NOT boiled
2 pounds sausage meat, look for a delicious finely ground mix
2 tablespoons dijon or brown mustard, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, plus more serving
Pinch freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups bread crumbs
Several cups canola oil, for frying
Lemon, for serving.
Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Submerge a clean dish towel in the water so to cushion bottom of pan. Working in 2 batches of 5 eggs - lower eggs into boiling water. Lower heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove eggs from saucepan and run under cold water to cool. Repeat with remaining eggs. Carefully peel eggs and set aside.
Combine sausage meat, mustard, parsley and nutmeg. Wet hands and gently press sausage meat around each egg, creating a even sausage shell. Keep hands wet while working as this will prevent sausage meat from sticking to them. Whisk remaining 2 eggs in a small dish. Dip eggs into egg and dredge in bread crumbs, shaking off excess, so to create a neat thin coating.
Slowly heat canola oil in a large deep saucepan over a low flame. The oil is at the proper temperature when a small amount of sausage meat, carefully lowered into the hot oil, sizzles up and becomes brown and crisp almost immediately.
Heat oven to 425 (this is preparation of some finagling). Working in batches of 2 or 3 gently lower sausage enrobed eggs into the oil. Fry until sausage is a dark golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Lift from oil and blot dry on a paper towel lined plate. Stick a sharp knife into the sausage part of egg. Remove and carefully press knife to your upper lip. It should feel hot. If not hot - transfer eggs to oven and bake 5 minutes. Slice open eggs and serve. Ideally the eggs should be wet in the center but as long as the sausage is cooked they will be delicious. And for those who love cold sausages - these make heavenly left-overs.