FOOD + DRINK
LUNCHBOX LEVEL UP
TAKE YOUR SCHOOL OR OFFICE LUNCH TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH THESE EASY , TASTY RECIPES PERFECT LITTLE AND NOT-SO-LITTLE FINGERS TO ENJOY .
Watercress Scotch Eggs Recipe by : Watercress www . watercress . co . uk
Serves : 4
Scotch eggs are popular with all ages but adding watercress to the sausage meat makes them a gourmet treat . Serve with salad and mayonnaise for a delicious lunch . To make breadcrumbs , we used the old crusts from a loaf which we grate or blitz in the food processor .
Ingredients
• 5 eggs ( 4 hardboiled ; 1 beaten )
• 80g watercress
• 250g sausage meat
• 50g flour
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 1 / 2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Sunflower oil , for frying
Method
1 . Put a pan of water on the hob and bring it to the boil . Lower four of the eggs into the pan and simmer for 9 minutes . Take the eggs from the water , crack the shells gently and leave to cool in cold water ( it makes the eggs much easier to peel ). Peel the eggs and lightly dust with some of the flour .
2 . Chop the watercress finely – ideally in a blender . Put it in a bowl with the sausage meat and mix by hand until thoroughly combined . Divide this evenly into four . Take a quarter of the sausage meat and press it flat in the palm of your hand . Take one of the hard-boiled eggs and place it at the centre of the sausage meat , folding it round to encase the egg . Repeat until each egg is completely covered .
3 . Put the breadcrumbs on a tray and mix with the dried thyme , salt and pepper . Crack the raw egg into a bowl and beat until smooth . In another bowl , put the remaining flour . Taking each Scotch egg in turn , dust with the flour , then dip in the beaten egg so that it ’ s fully covered , then coat all over with breadcrumbs .
4 . To cook your eggs , heat about 5cm oil in a saucepan until it is very hot . Test it by adding a small piece of bread – the fat is hot enough when the bread starts to brown after a few seconds . You want to cook the eggs for 4 minutes on one side and then gently turn them over and cook for a further 4 minutes .
5 . Take the eggs out of the pan and allow to drain on kitchen paper . If you aren ’ t going to eat them immediately , leave them to cool before storing them in the fridge . Serve with your favourite mayonnaise – or try watercress mayonnaise , made by stirring 1 tablespoon of chopped watercress into 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise .
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