Scotch eggs three ways

Make the most of your picnic with tasty new versions of this hamper staple

Pork, herb & fennel

Pork & chorizo

250g good-quality pork mince
100g chorizo (preferably cooking chorizo to crumble into the mix, or if you can’t find cooking chorizo, dice ready-to-eat chorizo)
2 red peppers, roasted, skinned and roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
4 eggs, boiled for 4-6 minutes
Plain flour for coating
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs (we used panko)
Light oil for cooking

Spiced chickpea

Oil for frying
2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto (or use sun-dried tomatoes if you have any hanging around in the fridge)
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
4 eggs, boiled for 4-6 minutes
Plain flour for coating
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 eggs, beaten
Breadcrumbs (we used panko)
Light oil for cooking

For the pork, herb & fennel Scotch eggs

In a mixing bowl, mix together the pork mince, fresh herbs, fennel seeds and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the mix into four and place between two layers of cling film. Press down into a flat disk, remove the top layer of film and place a hardboiled egg in the middle. Bring the cling film up together, folding the mince around the egg and shape into a ball around the egg. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Mix the paprika with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Dust the Scotch egg with the flour, apply the egg wash, then coat with the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, test with some breadcrumbs that it is hot enough and fry until golden brown.

For the pork & chorizo Scotch eggs

In a large bowl, mix the pork mince with the chorizo and peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the mix into four and place between two layers of cling film. Press down into a flat disk, remove the top layer of film and place a hardboiled egg in the middle. Bring the cling film up together, folding the mince around the egg and shape into a ball around the egg. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Mix the paprika with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Dust the scotch egg with the flour, apply the egg wash, then coat with the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a large saucepan, test with some breadcrumbs that it is hot enough and fry until golden brown.

For the spiced chickpea Scotch eggs

Heat a large frying pan and add one tablespoon of oil. Tip in the dried spices and stir with a spoon to coat in the oil. Throw in the chickpeas and cook for two minutes, stirring all the time. Add salt and pepper.
Transfer to a blender with the pesto or sun-dried tomatoes and blitz either until smooth or pulse until roughly blended.
Divide the mixture into four and place between two layers of cling film. Press down into a flat disk, remove the top layer of film and place a hardboiled egg in the middle. Bring the cling film up together, folding the mixture around the egg and shape into a ball around the egg. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
Mix the paprika with the flour and season with salt and pepper. Dust the Scotch egg with the flour, apply the egg wash, then coat with the breadcrumbs.

Recipe by Jody Spencer

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