By Chef Anthony Birch
What you will need
7 x Large free range eggs
50ml Milk
250g Good quality sausage meat from your local butcher (20-30% ratio to fat for best results)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
10g Lemon thyme (chopped)
50ml Cider (I recommend Kentish Pip)
2 x Shallots (finely diced)
2 x Bulbs of smoked garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
50g Plain flour
100g Good quality dried breadcrumbs
Salt and Pepper
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Method
- Dice shallots and fry in a little oil in a frying pan until translucent. Once translucent you can the cider and chopped garlic and reduce on a high heat for 1 to 2 minutes before placing in the refrigerator to chill.
- Mix the sausage meat, mustard and salt and pepper and place in the refrigerator to chill.
- Whilst ingredients are chilling, place 5 eggs into boiling water for 6 minutes (tip: lower in on a spoon to prevent cracking when hitting the bottom of the pan).
- Once boiled submerge in cold water and ice cubes – once cooled peel and roll in flour (tip: peeling in the water will make life easier and prevent the shells sticking to the eggs as much)
- Mix the sausage meat and onions together and spread 55g onto a layer of clingfilm and flatten out until about 1cm thick.
- Place the egg into the center of the meat and lift the cling film up around the egg. Remove the clingfilm and ensure the meat has covered the whole egg. repeat with all the eggs. (tip: slightly wet hands will make this process easier).
- Beat the 2 remaining eggs with the milk place next to the breadcrumbs and remaining flour in three separate bowls or trays.
- Now take an egg and roll in the flour, then the eggs and then breadcrumbs (repeat this twice until evenly covered and you cannot see the sausage meat).
- Chill until firm
- Heat oil up to 180.C (any lower and you will have a soggy egg), cook for 8-12 minutes depending on size.
Serving suggestion: Lovely with a celeriac remoulade and spiced apricot and date chutney.
