The Scotch egg is a boiled egg in a coat of seasoned sausage meat, crumbed and fried, and it has been a fixture of British picnics, pub counters and long car journeys for a very long time. Who thought of it first is disputed with some energy. A celebrated London food store says it did, in the eighteenth century, as a snack for travelers; the first known printed recipe appeared in an English cookery book in the early nineteenth century; and a Yorkshire seaside town has its own claim involving fish paste. None of them, it should be said, is in Scotland.

The cold, hard boiled version from a supermarket chiller cabinet did the dish's reputation few favors. The modern pub version, with a yolk that is still soft and golden when you cut it open, has put that right. The trick is a short boil, an ice bath, gentle peeling and a confident hand with the sausage meat. Made the morning of the race and packed in a tin, they are the most satisfying thing you can eat with your hands on a grassy bank at Silverstone.

The soft boiled eggs

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs

Method

1. Fill the medium saucepan with enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch (2.5 cm) and bring it to a full rolling boil. Lower the eggs in gently, one at a time, on the slotted spoon. Start a timer at once and boil for exactly 6 1/2 minutes, keeping the water at a steady boil.
2. As soon as the timer goes, lift the eggs into the bowl of ice water. Leave them there for at least 15 minutes, until cold right through.
3. Tap each egg gently all over on the counter to crack the shell into a fine web, then peel it under a trickle of cold water, starting at the wide end where there is a small air pocket. Work slowly; the egg inside is soft. Pat the peeled eggs dry.

Wrapping and crumbing

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb (570 g) pork sausage meat
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs
• 2 teaspoons (10 g) English mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (60 g) all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (120 g) panko breadcrumbs

Method

1. Put the sausage meat, herbs, mustard, mace or nutmeg, salt and pepper in the large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hand for 1 minute. Divide it into 6 equal balls, about 3 1/4 oz (95 g) each. Fry a teaspoon of it in a pan to taste the seasoning if you like.
2. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on the counter, or open a freezer bag, and put one ball of meat on it. Cover with a second sheet and press it out with your palm into an even circle about 5 inches (13 cm) across and 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick.
3. Roll a peeled egg lightly in the flour. Peel off the top sheet of plastic, put the egg in the middle of the meat, then lift the bottom sheet to fold the meat up and round the egg. Peel away the plastic and gently cup and press the meat in your hands to seal the joins, smoothing it into an even oval. Do not squeeze hard. Repeat with all the eggs.
4. Put the seasoned flour, beaten egg and panko in the three shallow bowls in a row. Roll each wrapped egg in flour and tap off the excess, then in beaten egg, letting the excess drip off, then in panko, pressing gently so it sticks. For an extra crisp shell, dip it in egg and panko a second time. Chill on a plate for 15 minutes.

Frying

Ingredients

• 6 cups (1.4 liters) vegetable or sunflower oil

Method

1. Pour the oil into the heavy deep saucepan and heat it over medium heat to 340°F (170°C) on the frying thermometer. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) as well, so you can finish any that need it.
2. Lower 2 or 3 eggs into the oil on the slotted spoon. Fry for 6 to 7 minutes, turning them every minute or so for even color. Keep the oil between 330°F and 350°F (165°C and 175°C), adjusting the heat as needed.
3. Lift the eggs onto the rack. Push the instant read thermometer into the sausage meat of one, not into the yolk. If it reads less than 160°F (71°C), put the eggs on the small baking sheet in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes more. Fry the rest the same way, then rest them all for 5 minutes.

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