How to Sous Vide a Scotch Egg
I for one was greatly surprised to find out that the Scotch or Scottish egg may have nothing to do with the land of haggis and the 70’s teeny bopper heart throbs, Bay City Rollers. Many culinary eggheads feel the snack's original name was “scotched egg”, which might simply mean "an egg that has had something done to it". For example many 19th century British recipes often included anchovies in the meat and ”Scotch", for some reason, was a title applied to a number of dishes which contained them like Scotch woodcock” (scrambled eggs on toast with anchovies) and “Scotch collops” (a meat dish which included anchovies in the sauce).
Popularized for sure and perhaps even created by food emporium Fortnum & Mason, the Scotch egg was being sold at its Piccadilly headquarters in the 18th century for its most affluent traveling customers. Back then Piccadilly was full of coaching inns, where many of the moneyed local gentry would start the journey to their country estates. Portable snacks were in constant demand and the Scotch egg was one of those foods, easy to eat and small enough to fit in a handkerchief or pocket.
This Sous Vide method of egg preparation is augmented by a quick minute or two in boiling water bath to set the white leaving the yolk slightly runny. Keep in mind this method offers you a wonderful culinary experience but can be a bit frustrating as the eggs are quite fragile so take great care as you don’t rupture the egg during any of the processes.
*If you find this method is a bit too fragile? Feel free to hard cook the eggs in the SV1 at 165°F for 40 minutes this temperate and timing offers you a perfect hardboiled egg - with no boilin
Ingredients:
• 8 eggs grade A large
• For the pork mixture:
• 2 pounds pork sausage, mild
• 1/2 cup corn flakes, crushed fine
• 2 teaspoons chive sage paste (see recipe below)
• 1/2 cup milk, whole
• Kosher salt to taste
For the chive sage paste:
• 3/4 ounce chives, fresh
• 3/4 ounce sage, fresh
• 1 teaspoon garlic puree
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic olive oil, or similar
For the Cornflake coating:
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2.5 cups corn flakes, crushed fine
4 cups corn flakes, crushed coarse
Directions:
1. Preheat the SV one to 68°C/140F
2. Have boiling water at the ready.
3. Using a slotted spoon or similar carefully place the eggs into the calculator bath and cook for 15 minutes
4. Place immediately into boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes
5. Finally gently submerge into ice water until cold about 10-15 minutes.
6. Gently crack the eggs and carefully peel under running water. The yolks will be loose with a tight firm white and the eggs will be very fragile, reserve refrigerated.
For the chive sage paste ….
1. Place the chives sage, garlic salt and pepper into a medium sized mixing boil and using an immersion blender or similar puree the herb mix will drizzling in the oil and process until you have a nice smooth puree and reserve.
Finish the Egg
1. In a large boil add the pork sausage with the corn flakes, reserved chive sage paste and season to taste with the salt, blend thoroughly.
2. Portion the pork mixture into 4 oz. balls. Using your hands, carefully flatten out each portion into a pancake shape, making sure the thickness is even all around.
3. Gently place one of the eggs on top of the sausage and carefully wrap it around the egg being mindful not to crush the fragile egg. Continue with the remaining eggs and refrigerate until they are thoroughly chilled.
4. Place all the breading ingredients into separate bowls. Take each cold sausage wrapped egg out of the refrigerator and proceed with the following steps: Dredge the egg first in flour, then coat with an egg wash, and cover the egg with a layer of the fine corn flakes.
5. Next repeat the egg wash and then coat a second time with a layer of the course corn flakes.
6. Refrigerate again until cold.
7. Fry in a 375°F fryer for 9-10 minutes and let it rest for one minute. The pork should be cooked through and the glorious yolk should be soft and ever so slightly runny but warm inside.
