Healthy, Schmelthy
Now don’t get me wrong, we love our local pub. They brew great beer, their Manhattan chowder is a godsend for my tragically lactose intolerant tummy, and on St. Paddy’s day, they served Chopper one hell of a mean steak and kidney pie.
But, sometimes we long for the Horse Brass, that brilliant British pub on Portland’s eastside. It’s not the darts we miss so much, or that crazy Randall hopper they’ve got hooked up like a hooka at the bar.
It’s not even the bangers and mash.
No, it’s the most horrific, fattening, demonic temptation on the menu we miss: the Scotch egg.
Imagine if you will, a hard boiled egg (and already you’ve got some dietician’s voice in your ear, yammering away about bad cholesterol).
Now imagine covering the egg in a layer of deep fried sausage.
Yes, Scotch eggs are that evil.
And they’re that tasty.
So tasty, that Chopper figured out how to make ‘em at home. Now all we need is a dart board, about thirty beers on tap, a way to keep out the zombies, and we’d never leave the house.
Chopper’s Scotch Eggs
makes six
For the sausage
- 2 pounds ground pork butt
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
- 1 bulb fresh garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients together thoroughly with your fingertips and set aside.
For the Scotch eggs
- 6 hard cooked large eggs, peeled
- Flour, beaten egg, and panko for breading
Method
Have a deep pan or wok of oil ready at 350 F ready for frying.
Divide sausage into 5 ounce portions and mold each portion evenly around an egg. This will make an orb roughly the size of a tennis ball.
Bread each one using the flour, beaten egg, and panko.
Place three at a time into the hot oil and fry until they turn a deep caramel brown. If you are unsure about the doneness you can check the internal temperature with a probe thermometer. When it reads 160 F, you’re there!
Serving suggestion: Hot Mustard, and/or HP Sauce.
Bonus link: Still confused about the Scotch egg? Ricky Gervais from the BBC comedy The Office explains it all to you.
March 25th, 2006 at 6:08 am
Oh my. This does sound delicious to me. You’re a lucky woman to have Chopper to make this for you.
March 25th, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Very pubby!
And the Gervais clip was very fubby!
(I’m scared to death to deep fry anything.)
March 25th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
HP Sauce! One of my very favorite things. I love that tang that grabs you at the back of your throat. Mmmmmm. Scotch eggs may be sinful, but they are delish and great for an impromptu lunch you can carry in your pocket. :G: I think they’re going to have to go on my to-make list. It’s been years since I had them at a tea place in Baltimore. Too long.
March 27th, 2006 at 6:07 am
Never tried them, they look deliciously sinful to me.
March 28th, 2006 at 4:47 am
Miz D,
Did you and Chopper see this: http://seriouslygood.kdweeks.com/2005/10/sausage-rolls.html
March 29th, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Miam miam, this is very original! I could definitely have that! My first time seeing those!
March 31st, 2006 at 11:11 am
Hee. Thanks all.
Kalyn, cursed is more like it. My feeble attempts to eat healthier are always thwarted by Chopper’s pub food.
Cookie: no trips to Scotland for you. I hear they deep fry everything there.
B’gina, would you believe we’ve made these several times and it never occurred to me to tote one around for a picnic. Something to do this summer!
Gracianne, indeed they are. There’s probably a million great variations on the theme too. We were just talking about trying out a Chinese version with a quail egg covered in hot Chinese pork sausage. Yum.
Kevin, those sausage rolls look super-good! (I am such a sucker for puff pastry.) And why am I not at all surprised to see you at the Highland Games. Where are those Kevin-in-a-kilt pictures, laddie?
Bea: The first time I saw one (at the pub in Portland) I just about fell over in fear. All those calories — oy!
April 4th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Scotch eggs… oh my god that is sooo cool. i must do that