There is no better breakfast or brunch to have on Christmas Day than scotch eggs. Nope. Sorry, I will hold you to a bet on this one.
Better yet, a Christmas cooking showdown. I don’t know when exactly this recipe became our Christmas morning tradition, but am I ever glad it has and continues to be a family favourite.
“Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions, a special day spent in the warm circle of family and friends.” — Margaret Thatcher
I’m drooling at the thoughts of it. Here’s the main menu for this holiday feast: scotch eggs with two slices of Grandma’s special sweet Christmas bread (Sorry, I can’t give that recipe away. It’s a family secret.) and a hefty spoon full of delicious whole grain or dill mustard on the side of the scotch eggs. Oh, to top it all off — mimosas.
Bring on Christmas Day I say!
When you dissect a scotch egg, the ingredients are really quite simple. Boiled eggs, sausage and bread crumbs. Mix it all together and you have the perfect blend of ingredients that will make your taste buds jump up and down with every bite.
“But have you never flirted with the idea of a scotch egg?” — Dave Alahan (Coronation Street)
Why are they called scotch eggs? Well, from what I have read, it comes down to how the meat is minced and wrapped around the egg as the process is called scotching. The name may throw you off as it’s not actually a Scottish dish. I know, right? In fact, it’s English and said to have been invented by Fortnum & Mason, a fancy department store in the 1700’s which still operates today.
Story goes, it was a foodie treat for the rich on their way to the cottage as it was easy to eat on the road. Contrary to that yarn, it’s also said the boiled egg was covered in fish rather than meat.
Either way, scotch eggs have become a popular dish again. They are often served on pub menus, thank goodness for that.
Like most recipes, making scotch eggs comes down to personal preference.
Let’s break it down shall we? Think of how many you need to make and take out that many eggs. Boil them as desired. A reminder though, you’re putting them into the oven after the boiling process. So keep that in mind as you strive for the perfect boiled egg.
As you do that, you can make your sausage mixture. You can honestly put in whatever flavour or type of meat. We mix it up, so I may put in pork sausages, ground pork and Italian sausages, or a couple that have a sweeter flavor. etc. Aside from pork, you can try lamb or beef if you prefer. All you do is add spices if so desired and squeeze the meat out of the casings and mix it up in a bowl.
“Eat, drink, and be merry.” — Unknown
When your eggs are done let them cool and peel them. Then, take a scoop of sausage mixture and flatten in your palm. Place a boiled egg in the middle and gentle wrap it around the egg until it’s completely encased. You don’t want this to be too thick, unless, that is what you want. You don’t want it to be too thin either because it will crack when baking.
As for the breadcrumbs, I like to use a breadcrumb and panko mixture to give it a little extra crunch. I’ve seen some recipes call for cornflakes.
You’ll often see recipes for scotch eggs that will deep fry or pan fry. I prefer to bake them at 400 for about 35 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked and the outside golden brown.
“I am not a glutton. I am an explorer of food.” — Erma Bombeck
I make extra for leftovers as they are great for reheating or served cold as an appetizer. You can also make this ahead of time. Complete each step until you get to the breadcrumbs, I wouldn’t apply them until morning to prevent them from getting soggy — yuck!
I hope I’ve given you and yours a new Christmas foodie tradition as scotch eggs are definitely fit to eat.
Erin Sulley is a self-confessed foodie who lives in Mount Pearl. Instagram: @erinsulley
