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Breakfast, brunch or late night, Scotch eggs are a satisfying recipe any time of day. With a long history as a celebratory food or picnic snack in other cultures, Scotch eggs are growing more popular in the United States as a party food, albeit a still somewhat unique one. Each bite of this dish, which utilizes crispy Panko-coated breakfast sausage with a soft egg interior, is bliss. Scotch eggs are on chef Greg Spaulding’s seasonally rotating menu at the downtown cocktail bar West Main Crafting Co. , so catch them while you can – or make them at home if you’re feeling ambitious.
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 farm eggs
• ½ pound breakfast style pork sausage
• Panko or other breadcrumbs for coating (panko works best)
• 1 head frisée
• 2 tablespoons Kentucky sorghum (can substitute maple syrup)
• 4 tablespoons spicy Dijon mustard (high quality)
• Oil for frying (neutral flavor)
• 2 tablespoons distilled vinegar
KITCHEN TOOLS:
• Deep fryer or deep saucepan (frying eggs)
• Grill (frisée)
• Large saucepan (poaching eggs)
• Mixing bowls, slotted spoon, whisk, tongs
METHOD:
Sorghum Mustard
Mix sorghum and mustard with a whisk until a good balance of sweet and spicy. Set aside.
Grilled Frisée
Lightly coat frisée in oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill for 15 seconds or so, until wilted. You can use your broiler or a quick sauté if you don’t wish to fire up the grill.
Scotch Eggs
Fill a pot with at least two inches of water and add about two tablespoons of distilled vinegar. Bring to a medium boil. Using a slotted spoon, create an ever-so-slight clockwise rotation in the water. One at a time, carefully crack two farm eggs into acidulated water and reduce heat to slow simmer. After egg whites have set, roughly three to four minutes, carefully remove eggs with slotted spoon and place into an ice bath.
Lightly dust countertop with flour, and knead sausage to form four thin four-inch discs. Carefully place poached eggs in the center of two discs. Take remaining two discs and place on top of each egg. Carefully pinch edges, cut away any excess. In your hands, gently form the sausage, making sure eggs are completely encased but careful not to burst the yolk.
Mix the third egg with a whisk until homogenized. Coat Scotch eggs in egg wash then dredge in Panko or breadcrumbs. Using tongs, drop each egg carefully in a deep fryer or deep saucepan with oil at 325 degrees for about four minutes or until sausage is fully cooked. Remove, let rest for a couple minutes, then drop egg one more time for 30 seconds. (You could also pan-fry if you don’t have a deep fryer. ) Repeat process with second egg.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve over grilled frisée and top with sorghum mustard.