Take One Fish
By Josh Niland
Scotch eggs
Not Too Tricky
makes 8
About the recipe
As with so many traditional dishes there are disputes over the origin of the Scotch egg, with claims ranging from India to Yorkshire, even the grand department store Fortnum & Mason in London. In 2019 I was lucky enough to cook at a Fortnum & Mason event, and naturally one of the canapés was a Scotch egg. Although I didn’t use ocean trout or salmon on that occasion, the versatility of this recipe allowed me to use red gurnard and a little sea bass fat to increase the fattiness of the sausage. This recipe can be adapted to suit all size eggs; from a very large duck egg down to a bite-sized quail egg, and can also be seasoned with different herbs and spices than the ones listed below. However, in my opinion they must be served with mustard or, at the very least, a quality mayonnaise.
Recipe From
Ingredients
10 free-range eggs
150 g (5½ oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper
2½ tablespoons full-cream (whole) milk
120 g (4½ oz/2 cups) white panko breadcrumbs
canola oil, for deep-frying
FILLING
2 tablespoons ghee
10 French shallots, finely diced
250 g (9 oz) ocean trout belly, cut into large chunks: from sustainable sources
chilled water, if needed
250 g (9 oz) skinless, boneless white fish
fillet (ling, cod, groper or snapper), cut into 1 cm (½ in) dice: from sustainable sources
1½ teaspoons fine salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds
½ teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
½ teaspoon freshly ground fennel seeds
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon lemon thyme leaves
2½ tablespoons dijon mustard
1 pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
15 g (½ oz/¼ cup) finely chopped chives
Method
- To make the filling, heat the ghee in a small saucepan over a medium heat to a light haze. Add the shallot and sweat for 6–7 minutes, until softened.
- Remove from the heat and chill in the fridge. Working in small batches, blend the ocean trout belly in a food processor to a smooth mousse, adding a splash of chilled water to help everything emulsify if the mixture seems too oily. Add the remaining filling ingredients, including the chilled shallot, and blend until well combined. Set aside.
- Fill a bowl with iced water. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Carefully lower eight of the eggs into the boiling water and cook for exactly 6 minutes, then transfer immediately to the bowl of iced water and leave to cool for 10–15 minutes.
- With clean hands, divide the filling mixture into eight even portions and roll into balls. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the shells. Place each portion of filling between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten into a circle large enough to enclose the egg, then remove the plastic wrap.
- Place an egg in the centre of each filling circle, then wrap the filling around the egg, gently pressing together to seal but being careful not to press too hard. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
- Place the flour in one bowl and season with salt and pepper, then beat the remaining eggs in another and stir in the milk. Tip the breadcrumbs into a third bowl.
- Roll each egg in the seasoned flour, gently tapping off any excess, then dip it in the beaten egg mixture. Finally, roll it in the breadcrumbs, making sure it is evenly coated.
- Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep-fryer or large saucepan over a medium–high heat until it reaches a temperature of 190°C (375°F).
- Working in batches of two, add the Scotch eggs to the oil and fry for 2 minutes until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack over a baking tray. When all the eggs have been fried, place the tray in the oven for 3–4 minutes, then serve immediately while the yolks are still runny.
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