Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 tsp thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 lemon, zested
1 spring onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
120 g plain flour
120 g very fine breadcrumbs
rape seed oil, for frying
*available from Hampshire Farmers Markets
Method:
Put the eggs in a pan of cold water over a high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for exactly 7 minutes. Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water, when cool, remove the shells.
Put the sausagemeat in a large mixing bowl with the thyme, parsley, mustard, lemon zest and spring onion. Season with salt and pepper and mix well together until the ingredients are combined.
Dust your hands with flour and take a quarter of the sausage mixture at a time. Roll the meat into a ball and put it on a piece of clingfilm and press slightly. Cover with another sheet of clingfilm and gently roll out into a circle about 5cm across.
Remove the top sheet of clingfilm and put a boiled egg in the centre of the sausage mixture circle. Close the sausage mixture around the egg using the clingfilm underneath as an aid and reshape until you have the perfect egg shape. Remove all the clingfilm. Repeat with the remaining eggs and sausage mixture.
Put the beaten egg in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in another bowl. Dip each Scotch egg into the beaten egg, then roll it in the breadcrumbs.
Put a shallow pan over a medium heat and pour in the oil until it is about two-thirds full. When it is hot carefully drop in the Scotch eggs and fry them for 10 minutes, turning every few minutes to make sure they are evenly fried. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Serve at room temperature.