Chicken and Tarragon Scotch Egg

This dish is an entry for The Egg Award 2013 by chef Hugh McGivern


You can enter your own recipe for The Egg Award 2013 by clicking on this link




What does Hollywood action movie star Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson , King Abdullah ll of Jordan and The Egg Award 2013 have in common?  Chef Hugh McGivern of course!  He's been personal chef to both and he's entered his Chicken and Tarragon Scotch Egg for this years debut competition!

He's already entered his Chocolate Latte Egg Nog (which is delicious) so we'll let him take up the story.

The eggs are from the same source at my friend Catrionas small holding near Auchterarder in Perthshire, all the chooks run aboot without a care in the world, between the legs of her Black Highland Cattle at times she tells me (but thankfully no fatalities).

The original recipe used Quails eggs and I'm sure that Pheasant or even Duck eggs would be good.

Chicken & Tarragon "Scotch Egg"

Ingredients

4 Fresh Eggs

1 Fresh Chicken Breast

15ml double cream

1 tsp fresh tarragon

salt & pepper

50g fresh breadcrumbs

25g fresh coconut

25g plain flour

1 egg beaten with a little milk.

Method

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and pop each egg onto a spoon and place into the pan, when all eggs are in and the water comes back to the boil, cook for 3 minutes then remove and plunge into cold running water for 5 minutes.

Remove any fat and sinew from the chicken breast and cut into dice, place into a food processor and whizz up. remove from the machine and empty into a bowl, fold in the cream, tarragon and a little seasoning, allow to chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour.

Shell the eggs and pat dry, divide the chicken mousse into 4 and with an oiled hand pat flat then cover the egg ensuring there are no holes.

Place the beaten egg and milk into 1 bowl, the breadcrumbs and coconut in another and finally seasoned plain flour in the 3rd.

Pass the egg firstly through the flour, patting off any excess then into the egg mix and finally into the coconut mix, ensuring they are thoroughly coated.

Heat a fryer to 180c and place the eggs into the basket then lower into the hot oil, fry for at least 5 minutes shaking the pan occasionally, turn onto kitchen paper and allow to drain and cool slightly before devouring.

These are great summer picnic items and best to make enough for 2 each as they are really yummy.

Black Pudding Scotch Egg

This dish for The Egg Award 2013 was entered by The Edinburgh Larder Bistro

You can enter your recipe by clicking in this link

The Edinburgh Larder is a licensed cafe on Blackfriars Street, just off The Royal Mile and a bistro on Alva Street in Edinburgh's West End.

The Edinburgh Larder is passionate about excellent quality, seasonally fresh, locally sourced food. We specialise in creating our delicious range of food and drinks from a wide range of Scottish produce, sourcing as many free range ingredients as possible, and working with lesser-known but sustainable cuts of meat and fish.

Launched in 2009, The Edinburgh Larder Cafe has been included in The List's 2012 Food and Drink Guide Hit List, and has built a solid reputation as being the gem of the Royal Mile for seasonally fresh, locally sourced delicious food.

Their organic free-range Scottish eggs come from Phantassie in East Linton. They are also their supplier for vegetables too.  The Edinburgh Larder went on a supplier trip last month and paid them a visit, had a tour of their farm and had a bowl of soup with some of the guys who work there!




Black Pudding Scotch Eggs

Ingredients:

4 large free range eggs
300g Stornoway Black Pudding
200g organic sausage meat
2 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed and chopped
1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
1 teaspoon of English mustard
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes - optional
flour, whisked egg and breadcrumbs for coating



Method:

Cook eggs for 5 minutes 30 seconds in boiling water then transfer to iced water.

Blend the sausage meat and black pudding, add the fennel seeds, mustard and thyme and place in the fridge for an hour.

Sandwich two heaped tablespoons of the sausage and black pudding mixture between two sheets of cling film.

Roll to 5mm thick, remove the top sheet of cling film and carefully wrap around one of the eggs.  Ensure there is a tight seal and pinch off excess mixture.

Roll in flour, then whisked egg and cover in breadcrumbs.

Place in oil at 180c for 5 minutes then transfer to a 200c (400f, 180c Fan, Gas mark 6) oven for a further 5 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then slice, serve and enjoy with home made chutney, piccalilli or brown sauce and a seasonal salad.