The Scotch egg is not a Scottish recipe at all; it was actually born and bred in England. I have read that they were invented by the upmarket store Fortnum & Mason and a story how they were derived from the Indian dish Nargisi Kofta, but there is really no origin set in stone. This popular British pub dish is usually served warm with a dipping sauce that can range from sweet to savory; today we went savory with a mustard sauce.

Scotch eggs are also popular picnic food because they travel well and can be eaten at room temperature or even cold. A lot of Scotch eggs in pubs and restaurants are served with a runny yolk (what is better than a warm runny yolk?) I love a runny yolk, but for this recipe, I went with hard-boiled.

Along with sausage rolls and sandwiches, the Scotch egg is also a very popular convenience food sold in most grocery stores and food shops across the UK. For me, homemade is far superior to store bought and if you’ve never bought them, don’t bother, make them yourself instead. I even eat them for breakfast! Eggs and sausage are breakfast items after all — just add ketchup.

Just like the British dialect can change around the country, some areas of England have adopted their own local Scotch egg recipes. I have yet to try the variations on this classic, but one thing is for sure, these eggstraordinary ovals of goodness are a staple in my household.

For other British inspired dishes, click around Food Fanatic to find a steak and ale pie and you can wash it all down with a tea sangria.

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Scotch Eggs Recipe

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Ingredients

For the mustard sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• small pinch freshly ground black pepper

For the Scotch eggs:

• 5 eggs, 1 whisked
• 12 ounces pork sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 quart canola oil, for frying

Directions

For the mustard sauce:

1. To a mixing bowl, add the mustards, white wine vinegar, honey and black pepper, whisk to combine and set aside.

For the Scotch eggs:

1. To a saucepan, add the eggs and add water to cover the eggs.
2. Bring to a boil, then turn off and let the eggs sit for 15 minutes in the hot water.
3. After 15 minutes drain the eggs and add to a bowl of cool water for 5 minutes.
4. After 5 minutes, tap the eggs on the counter to crack the eggshells and peel the eggs. Set aside to cool.
5. Add the sausage meat to a bowl and mix in the dried parsley, sage and thyme.
6. To a shallow bowl add the whisked egg, to another shallow bowl the flour and the same with the breadcrumbs mixed with the salt and pepper, set aside.
7. Add canola oil to a high-sided pan and bring to a temperature of 325°F on a candy thermometer. You can also test the temperature by adding a little of the breadcrumbs; if they sizzle it’s ready.
8. Sprinkle a clean surface with flour and take 1/4 of the meat and spread out flat onto a surface. If it sticks to your hands, dust your hands with flour.
9. Place a cooled egg in the center and wrap the meat around the egg, packing tightly and shaping into a nice oval. Repeat with all the eggs.
10. Take one of the meat-covered eggs and roll in the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs until well covered. Set aside. Repeat with all the eggs.
11. Fry the eggs in the oil until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes until golden brown turning halfway through.
12. Drain and serve with the mustard sauce.

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