Scotch Eggs, Salsa & Cous Cous
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- A challenge
- Serves 5
Ingredients
For the Scotch Eggs
- * 5 large eggs
- * 400 g of beef mince (although you could use lamb/mutton instead)
- * 1 teaspoon of Baharat
* another egg (for beating)
- * some flour
- * some breadcrumbs
* oil for deep frying
- * oil for deep frying
For the Salsa
- * 1 large onion, diced finely
- * 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- * 1 small can of chickpeas (garbanzo), drained
- * 1 can of roma tomatoes, crushed
- * three quarters of a teaspoon of cumin seeds, dry roasted and ground
- * salt and pepper
For the Cous Cous
- * 1 cup water
- * 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- * 1 teaspoon of salt
- * 1 cup cous cous (medium grain)
- * 2 teaspoons of butter
Method
- STEP 1In a saucepan, place the five large eggs and a little salt and 3/4 fill with cold water. Cover and place on high heat. When it starts to boil, set your timer for 10 minutes. I hard boil my eggs in this way to avoid shell cracking that is far too frequent if you put cold eggs in already boiling water.
- STEP 2While the eggs are boiling, pass your mince through a mincer. Yes, I do indeed mean that you should re-mince the minced meat. This will provide a finer grade mince, that will bind together in a more satisfactory way when we come to coat the eggs.
- STEP 3Mix into the twice minced meat one teaspoon of Baharat.
- STEP 4Once the 10 mins is up, remove the pan from the stove and place under running cold water (dont forget to remove the lid, and dont ask why I felt the need to mention this). After a minute or so, the eggs should be cool enough to peel, do so, discarding the shell, and place the eggs aside.
- STEP 5Divide the mince into five equal portions.
- STEP 6Now for each egg, take a portion of meat and flatten it out. Take an egg, place the middle of the flattened meat on top of the pointy end of the egg, and mould the rest of the meat around the egg. Massage it a little to get a seamless layer of meat over the egg. Set aside. repeat.
- STEP 7Once all the eggs are coated in meat, prepare the salsa.
- STEP 8In a saucepan (possibly the same one you boiled the eggs in, after a quick wash), saute the onion in a little olive oil. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and garlic when the onion is translucent. Dry roast and grind your cumin seeds and add them with the salt and pepper to the saucepan. Stir, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally.
- STEP 9Now back to the eggs. Heat the deep frying oil in you deep fryer to setting 8 (3rd highest setting).
- STEP 10Roll the meat coated eggs in a little flour.
- STEP 11Beat an egg with a teaspoon of water in a small bowl. Roll the floured eggs in the beaten egg and then immediately roll in the breadcrumbs. Set aside.