For Passing at Parties: The Scotch Egg
A platter of Scotch eggs. Photo by Robyn Wishna
Not that we need to sell you on an egg with Scotch, but as the story goes, a London department store called Fortnum & Mason claims to have invented the sausage-and-breadcrumb-enclosed snack in 1738, while developing ready-to-eat luxury meals for the Royal Court and British officersfrom its stock of game, dried fruits and spices.
In the Finger Lakes, the Scotch egg was our publisher’s gateway to hard-boiled eggs, which you can read about in our winter issue, out now. The magazine includes a recipe for a non-boozy version from The Old Toad, a British pub in Rochester, so everyone can have a taste, but below we’ve added back the whiskey. We’d even suggest swapping in Finger Lakes Distilling‘s McKenzie Bourbon, which you’ll also hear more about in the magazine.
Scotch Eggs
By The Old Toad in Rochester
(Serves 12, as an appetizer)
3 leeks, finely chopped and washed
1 tablespoon butter
3 pounds of sausage (breakfast sausage works well)
2 shots of whiskey
7 drops of Tabasco
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups breadcrumbs
Canola oil
Pan fry leeks in a little butter over low heat until translucent. Let cool, then mix with sausage in a large bowl. Add all other ingredients and mix well.
Place eggs in a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 minutes. Quickly remove from water and refresh making sure that you crack all of the eggs (this will stop the yolks from going grey). Peel shells and wash eggs of any remaining shell bits.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using clean, slightly wet hands, encase sausage meat around an egg and shape it into a ball. Place finished eggs on a baking sheet while you work through them all. Put flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three shallow bowls or pie plates. One by one, dip each pork-wrapped egg in flour then whisked egg and lastly into breadcrumbs.
After all the eggs have been coated, fill a frying pan with canola oil, about two-inches deep. Heat oil to about 350 degrees. Flash fry the eggs, turning them with tongs until evenly browned on all sides. Place fried eggs on a clean baking sheet and cook in oven for 20 minutes. Turn each of the eggs over to prevent them sticking to the tray. Remove from oven, allow to cool and enjoy.
