I decided to cook breakfast this morning since my bf is usually the one who wakes up early and makes it (he's such a sweetheart). I didn't want a traditional breakfast of bacon, eggs and pancakes. That gets to be a bit tiring after awhile. I settled on making something a bit fancier, and more challenging. Recently my bf showed me a video recipe of scotch eggs as a not so subtle hint that we should try it. As an egg lover this intrigued me. I needed those eggs in my life. And in my belly. I decided to try the recipe. I also decided that a bit of greens and potatoes as a side dish would be a wonderful accompaniment to the scotch eggs so I prepared that as well. I took pictures of my process (and progress) to post on this blog. I'm thinking that if anyone would like to make a delicious breakfast for someone they care about (even if that someone is themselves) then this would be a good recipe to try. Now I'm not Rachel Ray or Giada or anything. I don't have specific measurements. But if anything just add a pinch of everything and pray for the best. Ok here goes!
Ingredients you'll need for the scotch eggs:
Eggs (1 per person unless you're really hungry)
1 Egg to beat in a bowl
Salt
Pepper
Italian Season
Cayenne Pepper
Breadcrumbs
Flour
Frying Oil (If you choose to fry this)
Ingredients you'll need for swiss chard and potatoes:
Bunch of swiss chard
1 Shallot
1 Tomato
1 Bell pepper
3 Cloves of garlic
2-3 Yukon gold potatoes
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil (I choose extra virgin)
I started by putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. Then I begin chopping up the potatoes into quarters (or eighths depending on how big the potatoes are). Once chopped I add the potatoes to the boiling water. Then I put the eggs into another pot of water to boil. Side note: I boiled 4 eggs here which was a HUGE mistake. Unless you have a mammoth sized hunger, an egg per person should be fine instead of two eggs per person. I ended up saving the rest of my meal to eat the next day.
Next I laid out my ingredients to make the scotch eggs: salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper (nothing wrong with adding a little heat to the mix). I didn't end up using the adobo but you can if you want to. Some breadcrumbs would be ideal but the supermarket didn't have any so I got panko instead. I also got a package of ground beef (I would have preferred pork but there was none available at the supermarket. What's up with this supermarket??). If you've a vegetarian you can substitute the meat here for ground tempeh or a falafel mixture (you'll be frying/baking this later).
In a bowl I added the ground beef (or tempeh or falafel mixture) into a bowl. I add the Italian seasoning, the salt, pepper and cayenne powder. Then I mix it all up into this giant meaty (or meatless) lump.
I separated the lump into smaller ball shaped lumps and got the breadcrumbs ready in another bowl.
The eggs should be done at this point. Take them off the stove and cool them down. It will be easier to peel the shells that way. In two smaller bowls add flour in one and beat an egg in the other.
Take a ball and flatten it out in your palm. Now take the egg and wrap your meat(less) lump around it. Think of the mixture as a cocoon and the egg as a caterpillar. If that helps. I dunno. Wrap each egg in this fashion.
Soon you should have giant meat(less) lumps with an egg safely hidden inside. Now here comes the fun part.
Take a frying pan and heat on a medium flame. When the pan is hot, add oil (canola, may be best though olive oil is ok). Now take your lump and dip it into the flour and roll it around until every part of it is coated. Then dunk it in the egg mixture and do the same. Dip your lump into the breadcrumbs and roll it around. Lastly add it to the pan of hot oil and let it fry. (You can also set your oven to 350 and let it bake if you prefer. Either way is fine, I'm not judging you).
Let the breaded lumps fry for around 8 minutes until browned all around (or bake for about 10-15 minutes).
Take the potatoes off the stove. By now they should be tender but not falling apart. Drain the water and let them cool.
Meanwhile on a cutting board, proceed to chop the shallot, garlic cloves, tomato, bell pepper, and swiss chard. To chop swiss chard just cut out the stem and then pile the leaves one on top of the other and chop away! Make sure to wash it once you're done chopping to get rid of the debris that may have been stuck to the leaves.
(My cooled down potatoes are here as well)
When the scotch eggs are done, set them on a plate covered with a paper towel and allow it to cool down a bit.
Take another skillet and put it on the stove on medium heat. Add oil (I use extra virgin olive for this part but the choice is yours). Allow the oil to heat up and then add the chopped up bell pepper, shallot and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onion looks translucent. Take out the onion, pepper and garlic from the skillet and put in a bowl. Now add the potatoes to the skillet and cook until browned. At this point I add back in the onion, pepper and garlic as well as the chopped tomato and swiss chard. I add salt and pepper and mix it all together.
When the swiss chard is wilted I turn off the stove. I take a plate and add the potatoes and swiss chard. Then I cut the scotch egg down the middle and place the two halves on top. Voila! Breakfast!!
(Scotch eggs on a bed of Yukon gold potatoes and Swiss chard).
It ended up being really delicious and really filling. I was proud of myself for attempting this meal and succeeding. My bf approved and that only made me feel even better. Yay me!
I started by putting a pot of water on the stove to boil. Then I begin chopping up the potatoes into quarters (or eighths depending on how big the potatoes are). Once chopped I add the potatoes to the boiling water. Then I put the eggs into another pot of water to boil. Side note: I boiled 4 eggs here which was a HUGE mistake. Unless you have a mammoth sized hunger, an egg per person should be fine instead of two eggs per person. I ended up saving the rest of my meal to eat the next day.
Next I laid out my ingredients to make the scotch eggs: salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper (nothing wrong with adding a little heat to the mix). I didn't end up using the adobo but you can if you want to. Some breadcrumbs would be ideal but the supermarket didn't have any so I got panko instead. I also got a package of ground beef (I would have preferred pork but there was none available at the supermarket. What's up with this supermarket??). If you've a vegetarian you can substitute the meat here for ground tempeh or a falafel mixture (you'll be frying/baking this later).
In a bowl I added the ground beef (or tempeh or falafel mixture) into a bowl. I add the Italian seasoning, the salt, pepper and cayenne powder. Then I mix it all up into this giant meaty (or meatless) lump.
I separated the lump into smaller ball shaped lumps and got the breadcrumbs ready in another bowl.
The eggs should be done at this point. Take them off the stove and cool them down. It will be easier to peel the shells that way. In two smaller bowls add flour in one and beat an egg in the other.
Take a ball and flatten it out in your palm. Now take the egg and wrap your meat(less) lump around it. Think of the mixture as a cocoon and the egg as a caterpillar. If that helps. I dunno. Wrap each egg in this fashion.
Soon you should have giant meat(less) lumps with an egg safely hidden inside. Now here comes the fun part.
Take a frying pan and heat on a medium flame. When the pan is hot, add oil (canola, may be best though olive oil is ok). Now take your lump and dip it into the flour and roll it around until every part of it is coated. Then dunk it in the egg mixture and do the same. Dip your lump into the breadcrumbs and roll it around. Lastly add it to the pan of hot oil and let it fry. (You can also set your oven to 350 and let it bake if you prefer. Either way is fine, I'm not judging you).
Let the breaded lumps fry for around 8 minutes until browned all around (or bake for about 10-15 minutes).
Take the potatoes off the stove. By now they should be tender but not falling apart. Drain the water and let them cool.
Meanwhile on a cutting board, proceed to chop the shallot, garlic cloves, tomato, bell pepper, and swiss chard. To chop swiss chard just cut out the stem and then pile the leaves one on top of the other and chop away! Make sure to wash it once you're done chopping to get rid of the debris that may have been stuck to the leaves.
When the scotch eggs are done, set them on a plate covered with a paper towel and allow it to cool down a bit.
Take another skillet and put it on the stove on medium heat. Add oil (I use extra virgin olive for this part but the choice is yours). Allow the oil to heat up and then add the chopped up bell pepper, shallot and garlic. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onion looks translucent. Take out the onion, pepper and garlic from the skillet and put in a bowl. Now add the potatoes to the skillet and cook until browned. At this point I add back in the onion, pepper and garlic as well as the chopped tomato and swiss chard. I add salt and pepper and mix it all together.
When the swiss chard is wilted I turn off the stove. I take a plate and add the potatoes and swiss chard. Then I cut the scotch egg down the middle and place the two halves on top. Voila! Breakfast!!
It ended up being really delicious and really filling. I was proud of myself for attempting this meal and succeeding. My bf approved and that only made me feel even better. Yay me!
I had mentioned to him that I'd like to go to the book festival. He volunteered to come with me (he had accompanied me to the New York Poetry Festival some weeks before and ended up having a nice time).
It was literary heaven, with stalls set up offering books and graphic novels and magazines to satisfy many different tastes. I gravitated towards the discount book sections, poetry sections and graphic novel sections. I saw beautiful artwork and talked to authors of different age groups and backgrounds. I bought way more than I should have. My bf bought me a graphic novel collection which surprised and pleased me. Thanks babe! I ate Pad Siew while browsing the different stalls, taking in the pleasant weather and cute bookmobile from Penguin. It was overall a wonderful day. I hope I have many more like this.
