Smoke + Salt with Blaine

Scotch Quail Eggs with Simple Mustard Sauce

Photography by Melanie Limpus

As summer encroaches closer and closer, I begin to think of friendly gatherings after a long winter hibernation. That means snacks to eat and beers to drink. One of my all time favorite drinking snacks is a Scotch Egg. 

Traditionally, Scotch eggs are soft-boiled eggs wrapped in breakfast sausage, then breaded and fried. Some say it's breakfast food. Some say it’s pub food. Maybe I just drink earlier than you? Either way, there is nothing finer than a runny egg pouring out over sweet pork filled with warm, English spices. And you mean to tell me it's deep fried to golden brown? Get out of town; that’s ecstasy. 

Like most of my recipes, I couldn’t just do a traditional Scotch egg. Instead, I curated a Hors D'oeuvres styled treat of this all-time classic. I used quail eggs because they create a bite-sized version, which is way more appealing for an evening of friendly debauchery amongst your fellow comrades. The next twist I threw at this was using elk meat instead of pork. I know plenty of you reading this have a freezer full of elk. As always though, if you can’t get quail eggs, or you don’t have elk meat because your scope was off (that’s what I’d tell everyone as well if I were you), then just make a standard Scotch egg for a party, cut each one into quarters, and people will be amazed.

Ingredients: 

Spices:
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp peppercorns
1 tbsp marjoram
1/2 tsp sumac
1/2 tsp mace
Zest of nutmeg (about 1/4 tsp)

Protein:
1 dozen quail eggs
1 pound of pork or elk meat
2 chicken eggs lightly beaten

Pantry:
Panko breadcrumbs 

Mustard Sauce:
1/4 cup mayo (preferably Dukes)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:
Parsley
Finishing salt (optional)

Directions:

1.

Throw your mustard seeds, peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a spice blender or coffee grinder and pulse to a nice powder. (If you have the time, try toasting these beforehand for a more developed flavor.) In a bowl, combine this powdered mixture with sumac, mace, marjoram, and nutmeg. Pour the spice mixture over the meat and shove those little hands in there and start combining. Mix thoroughly.

2.

Now it's time for those adorable little eggies to get a bubble bath. In a large pot, add water and a splash of vinegar to help peel the shell off. Get the water to a simmer – a true simmer where the bubbles forming in the bottom just barely begin to break to the surface. (Remember that old saying about a watched pot never boils? Throw that to the window.) Since these are such small eggs, they will cook tenfold faster than a normal egg.

3.

Once simmering, carefully add in a couple eggs at a time. Keep in mind that you will be frying the egg later so don’t overcook them in the boiling phase. About two and a half minutes will give you a true soft boil where the whites are cooked fully and the yolk is still runny. When time is up, pull the eggs out and dunk them in an ice bath to stop the cooking and make them easier to handle. Repeat this process until all eggs are cooked.

4.

Peel the shells off the eggs, give them a rinse, and get ready to wrap them snugly in a blanket of meaty goodness. Make a small patty that is thin and bowl-shaped. Place the egg in the center and carefully bounce the meat inside cupped hands. This will allow the meat to form around the egg under its own weight to a certain extent, and then you can continue to wrap the rest of it with your fingers. Once the egg is fully encased in the meat it is time to dredge the meatball.

5.

Dip the meatball into the lightly beaten chicken eggs and then place them into a bowl of panko. Once everyone is perfectly coated, set them on a cooling rack. (I personally like to place my battered food in the freezer for a while to allow the breadcrumb to truly stick to the surface; however, this is not necessary.)

6.

If you don’t have a deep fryer, no problem. Take a dutch oven or cast iron skillet, add oil (or better yet – tallow if you’re on that game), and get the temperature up to 350 degrees. Then drop these delectable little buddies straight in and cook until they are golden brown. (But work in batches, people… We don’t want to completely kill the oil temp!) Since they are small, it shouldn’t take too long to cook all the way through – maybe 7 to 10 minutes. If you are using a skillet, make sure you continue to turn the scotched egg to brown and cook on all sides.

7.

Garnish with finishing salt and some chopped parsley.

8.

The sauce takes little to no time at all, so make this at the end while the scotch eggs are cooling. Add the mayo, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix together. Super complicated, I know! Now set these tastey treats out and let your friends enjoy!