I couldn’t tell you when I first ate a Scotch egg, but I can tell you where I’ve had it most often. The annual Irish-Scottish Festival takes place in Estes Park, Colorado just when fall is at its best--where the beer is still accompanied by sunshine but your summer body can relax as you eat cottage pies by the handful.
My husband, sister, and usually a friend or two regularly attended the festival every year until our move out to Missouri, and this year I think I’ll plan on a tribute party because I miss it so.
You had to get a stein of beer (Scotch Ale is a must) and refill regularly, plus some samples of scotch whisky. The jousting is a must-see, as well as the live music and you have to try and find your clan tent if you’ve the honor. And, of course, the cottage pies--fat crusts stuffed with ground beef and onion and topped with mashed potatoes--and scotch eggs--boiled egg wrapped with breakfast sausage, crusted and fried--must be eaten every hour. My sister and I usually just posted up around these food tents, sharing one and going back in line so we didn’t fill up too quickly.
I’ve made tons of traditional Scotch eggs, of course, but this one was a particularly fun labor of love. I find it’s best when the egg yolk is a little gooey and the swiss cheese is just to the right melting point. I say labor of love because of the number of times I had to photograph this recipe--you never know the end result until you cut it open and a lot of times the yolk would smear across all the beautiful layers, still delicious but not the prettiest.
The key to these eggs is very thin ham and swiss cheese and just a sprinkle of patience. If the ham and cheese is too thick it won't stay wrapped around the egg and you have to hold it all together in one hand and dollop on the meat mixture to bind it. Not time-consuming but practice makes perfect!
The egg is, of course, amazing on its own, but I really like the accompanying salad along with it. It cuts through the heavy meatiness and makes it a full meal that you don't have to feel too bad about (not like posting up next to a festival tent and inhaling carb after golden-fried carb).
Makes 1 egg, 2 meals
For the Scotch Egg:
1/2lb ground turkey or chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1tbsp parsley, minced
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
2 eggs
3 slices thin deli ham
3 slices thin deli swiss cheese
1/2c gluten free, rice or regular flour
1c gluten free or regular panko breadcrumbs
1/4c canola or vegetable oil
For the Salad:
2c arugula
1-1/2tbsp honey
1-1/2tbsp yellow mustard
1tsp Sriracha
Dash red pepper flakes (optional)
Bring a small pot of water to boil. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to gently lower one of the eggs into the boiling water and boil for 6min 50sec. Transfer to an ice bath.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ground meat thru the pepper with your hands. Ready your breading station by cracking the other egg into a bowl and whisk well. Have the flour, egg and panko ready on separate plates and seasoned with salt n pep.
Peel the soft-boiled egg, discard the shell. Wrap the egg with first the swiss cheese and then the ham. Don’t expect it to stay together, just use one hand to hold it together, the meat mixture will be the binder. While the wrapped egg is in one hand, use the other to pick up fat tablespoons of the meat mixture at a time and add that around the wrapped egg. Seal the meat around the egg as you go, pinching and smoothing until you have an evenly distributed ball.
Gently roll the scotch egg in first the flour, then the whisked egg, and finally the panko. Let rest, uncovered, in a plate in the fridge for 10min. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Pan-sear the scotch egg on all 4 sides and then the ends, roughly 4min per side so the meat cooks all the way thru.
Whisk together the honey thru red pepper flakes. Scatter the arugula onto two plates, season with salt n pep and drizzle on the dressing. Carefully cut the egg in half lengthwise and set each half in the nest of arugula. Sprinkle a little salt onto the egg and serve immediately.
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