Scotch Eggs

By exdircomp

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cup finely crushed corn flakes
• 7 ounces (3/4 cup) fresh breakfast sausage, casings removed (if necessary sage best
• 1 tablespoon teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme (optional)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
• Mustard

Preparation

Step 1

Place 4 eggs in a small saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil; remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Carefully drain, then fill pan with ice water to cool eggs. Gently crack shells and carefully peel under cold running water. Place eggs in a bowl of cold water; cover and chill until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.


Place flour in a wide shallow bowl and crushed corn flakes in another wide shallow bowl. Divide sausage into 4 equal portions. Add the fresh thyme and parsley, if using, and mix them through the sausage with a fork, stirring well until they’re evenly combined.Pat 1 portion of sausage into a thin patty over the length of your palm. Lay 1 soft-boiled egg on top of sausage and wrap sausage around egg, sealing to completely enclose. Repeat with remaining sausage and eggs.


Whisk remaining 2 eggs in a medium bowl to blend. Working gently with 1 sausage-wrapped egg at a time, dip eggs into flour, shaking off excess, then coat in egg wash. Roll in corn flakes to coat. Put each one back on the plate with the other eggs, as you do each one, until they are all coated with egg wash and bread crumbs. Once you have them all coated, repeat the process, until you have two layers of crumbs.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated, uncovered.


Attach a deep-fry thermometer to side of a large iron skillet. Pour in oil to a depth of 2” and heat over medium heat to 375°. Fry eggs, turning occasionally and maintaining oil temperature of 350°, until sausage is cooked through and breading is golden brown and crisp, 5–6 minutes. Be sure to cook the sausage all the way through without burning it. This is the toughest part of the whole dish. If you're not a very good cook, ask someone who is to help you watch the eggs, so that you don't burn them, or overcook the sausage to where it splits and exposes the hard boiled egg inside. This is why you carefully molded the sausage in an even coat around the eggs. Even coating of sausage makes for even cooking, and helps prevent the cooked sausage from shrinking and cracking to expose the egg.Place the finished egg on the lined baking sheet, then repeat with the remaining eggs.

When you finish each egg, they all should be an even dark brown color. Use a slotted spoon to transfer eggs to paper towels to drain. If you do not want to fry Place the eggs in the 400 degree oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are crispy and the sausage is cooked through. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Serve warm with mustard. If you do not like mustard you can use a drizzle of maple syrup ties the breakfast theme together and complements the savory sausage and rich egg flavor.