POSH EGGS
Smoked haddock Scotch eggs (pictured above)
Makes 45 eggs, plus
1 egg white
150g skinless cod fillet, roughly chopped
150g skinless smoked haddock fillet, chopped
1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp chopped capers
grated zest of 1 lemon
55g plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
70g fine polenta
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
tartare sauce, to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a pan of water to the boil. Carefully lower in 4 eggs and boil for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, plunge into a bowl of iced water to cool quickly, then carefully peel them.
Blitz the cod, egg white and seasoning to a purée in a food processor. Add the haddock, and pulse to mix through. Transfer to a bowl and stir through the chopped herbs, capers, lemon zest and seasoning.
Divide into four portions (about 85g), and flatten each into a 13cm circle. Working with one portion and one egg at a time, dust the egg in the flour and place in the centre of the fish mixture. Use your hands to mould the mixture up and around, encasing the egg completely, patching where needed. Place on a plate lined with kitchen paper and chill for 20 minutes.
In a bowl, lightly beat the remaining egg. Put the remaining seasoned flour and polenta in two separate shallow bowls. Dust each encased egg first in the flour, then in the beaten egg and finally the polenta.
Heat the oil in a large, deepsided pan to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 on a thermometer (or test the temperature by dropping in a cube of bread – it will turn golden in 60 seconds when the oil is ready). Deep-fry two eggs at a time for 8 minutes, until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and briefly drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with creamy tartare sauce.
Turkish eggs
Serves 4 400g Greek yoghurt, at room temperature
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tsp tahini
4 eggs
55g butter
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp Aleppo chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
few small mint and coriander leaves, to serve
warmed pitta breads, to serve
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Spoon the yoghurt into a bowl and stir through the lemon zest and juice, garlic and tahini. Season with salt and pepper.
To poach the eggs, put enough water in a pan to reach about 5cm, and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat down to a shudder. In turn, crack each egg into a teacup and slide it into the water, at separate sides of pan. Cook for 3 minutes until the white has just set.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan. Add the paprika and chilli and cook for 2 minutes, until the butter smells spicy.
Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on kitchen paper.
Spoon yoghurt into four small bowls. Top each with a poached egg, pour over some spiced butter; scatter with herbs. Serve with warm pittas for dunking.
Souffléd apple and raspberry omelette
Serves 4 2 large Cox or Braeburn apples
1 tbsp lemon juice
40g butter
1½ tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs, separated
80g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
80g raspberries
runny honey, to drizzle
Peel the apples, remove the cores and cut each into 12 wedges. Toss the apple wedges in a bowl with lemon juice to stop them browning. Set aside.
Heat 30g of the butter in a 26cm non-stick frying pan. Add the apple slices in a single layer and fry over a medium-low heat for 7-8 minutes, until golden and softened. Sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon, and continue to cook for a further minute, until the apples are caramelised. Transfer to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
Whisk the egg yolks with the icing sugar, until thick and creamy. Using a clean whisk and a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to form stiff peaks then fold through the egg yolk-sugar mixture, taking care not to knock out too much air.
Preheat the grill to mediumhigh. Melt the remaining butter in the pan. Once the butter begins to foam, add the whisked eggs, smooth the surface and scatter over the apples and raspberries. Cook over a low heat for 3½ minutes, until the underside is golden. Place the pan under the grill and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden and puffed – the inside should still be soft. Dust with icing sugar, drizzle over the honey and serve immediately.
Posh Eggs, by Lucy O’Reilly, with photography by Louise Hagger, is published by Quadrille, priced £12.99.