Scottish Favorite - Scotch Egg

Scotch eggs are served in most pubs throughout England as a snack. In Scotland, they are served for breakfast. They are also wonderful for picnics.

4 medium eggs (at room temperature)
1 pound bulk pork sausage
1 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with
salt and freshly-ground pepper
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
Oil (for deep frying)

Pierce each egg with a pin at its rounded end. Place eggs carefully into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and when the water is really bubbling, immediately cover with the pan lid and remove from the heat. Leave them for 10 minutes, then run cold water over and around the eggs in the pan for 2 minutes. While the water is running onto them, crack them so that some of the moisture gets in. Peel the eggs carefully.

Divide the sausage meat into four equal pieces and roll each out on a lightly floured surface into a 5- to 6-inch circle.

Put seasoned flour in one bowl, the egg-milk mixture in the second, and breadcrumbs in the third. Dip a shelled egg into the egg mixture, then in flour. Repeat with each shelled egg. Now place each egg onto a circle of sausage meat and bring up the sides to enclose egg completely. Hold it in both hands and squeeze gently to eliminate the air. Dip each ball into the egg mixture and finally roll each in the breadcrumbs.

Heat oil to 375 degrees F to 400 degrees F.

Fry 2 eggs at a time until each egg is a deep brown all over, about 10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon
and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining 2 balls.

Serve with English mustard. These can be made 3 days ahead and refrigerated, but not frozen.

English Favorite - Beef Wellington

Some say it was his favorite meal, and others claim it resembled the boots that he wore. Whatever the case may be, the Duke of Wellington has a grand dish named after him, which became the entertaining extravaganza of the 1960s.

This is a whole filet of beef with a mushroom filling, covered with a decorative puff pastry crust and served on a large platter with watercress garnish and/or accompanying vegetables.

Preliminary Baking: This stiffens the meat so that it will hold its shape in the crust. Rub the meat with cooking oil and bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees or until the thermometer registers 120 degrees F., turning the meat once and basting it with the fat in the pan.

Mushroom Duxelles:
3 Tb. butter, unsalted
1 lb. mushrooms, chopped
4 Tb. shallots, minced
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup parsley, chopped
salt/pepper, to taste

Melt butter, add mushrooms and shallots and cook until the mushrooms lose their liquid, about 7-8 minutes. Add sherry and parsley and boil until all liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Pastry:
2 lbs. of puff pastry; at least 1 will be needed for the meat and extra for the decorations.

Assembling and Baking:
Place the beef on top of the dough and cover with the mushroom duxelles. Roll the remaining dough around the meat so that it is completely covered. Paint pastry with an egg glaze of 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 t. water. Make decorations of strips, circles, leaf shapes, or diamonds. Canapé cutters can be used. Paint with the egg glaze. Make several small vent holes in the pastry for escaping steam. Chill 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.

Bake 20 minutes at 450 degrees until the pastry starts to brown (130-140 degrees F. for rare). Test with a meat thermometer. Let stand 15 minutes. Carve with a sharp serrated edge knife. Garnish with watercress.

Vegetables:
Baked stuffed mushroom caps, cherry tomatoes stuffed with spinach or sour cream and caviar, braised lettuce, asparagus tips, or other colorful vegetables.