The Soup Diva

• 7 medium eggs
• 1 lb log ground pork sausage
• 1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Dash of nutmeg (optional)

Add 1/2 inch water to medium sauce pan and bring to a boil on medium high. Carefully place 6 eggs in pan with large spoon or tongs, cover, and steam for 7 minutes; remove from heat and run cold water into pan for 30 seconds. (If you stop at this point, you have perfectly cooked soft boiled eggs, which are delicious as well!) Add ice to pan and allow eggs to cool completely while continuing preparations.

Cut sausage log into 6 equal slices (about 1″ each) and flatten each to about 1/4 inch. In small (cereal size) bowl, stir together flour, mustard, onion powder, and salt; in another bowl, beat remaining egg. Stir bread or cracker crumbs and parsley together in 3rd bowl. When steamed eggs are cool, remove from pan, peel and dry well. Roll each in flour mixture and place on a sausage patty. Carefully wrap sausage around egg and press gently but firmly, ensuring egg is completely covered. Dip in beaten egg, roll in crumbs, and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees (375 for dark or stone pan) for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Some friends of ours first told us about Scotch Eggs (their favorite vacation spot is Blowing Rock, North Carolina, where a local cafe sold these English delicacies; the name is short for “scotched eggs,” which refers to the ground meat surrounding the egg, not the country or origin). We enjoyed a variation on this classic during our second trip to Universal Studios; then another friend made them for Easter brunch at the request of our rector. I finally decided to brave them in my own kitchen, and was pleased at the outcome. They are not as difficult as I feared, and they are definitely worth the effort!

(Note: For the two of us, I did 4 eggs and cooked the remaining sausage to reheat for weekday breakfasts. I also cooked the leftover egg wash and bread crumbs together for the Labradog. I think he enjoyed it.)