the vegetarian butcher

AS SURE AS EGGS IS EGGS...

You might think that I'd had my fill
With so many Scotch eggs on the bill
But they've just been first rate
So kept filling my plate
If there'd been more I'd be eating them still!
   

Chef's vegetarian Scotch egg with Quinoa crumbs

Well, with my somewhat inglorious start, our Scotch egg competition was obviously in Chef's favour but, honestly, he made some superb vegetarian Scotch eggs.  The tasty order from the Handmade Scotch Egg Company was a bit of inspiration I think and he incorporated a few of the things we liked best  from their many different ingredient combinations to come up with his own veggie sausage mix that was bursting with flavour.  It has been some time since I have eaten real sausages but it was actually so similar in my mind, it was a bit like eating breakfast in a ball! Dare they be called....Breakfast Balls?!!!

Although we didn't try baking any of these I would still like to see how that might turn out for a slightly healthier version.  Chef did experiment a little by using quinoa flakes to breadcrumb vs Japanese panko crumbs, and while the former cooked perhaps a little too quickly leaving a very soft inner coating, the latter were cooked to perfection.

 quinoa flake crumb        vs        Japanese panko crumbs

For the moment I don't really have much more to say about Scotch eggs (3 posts later!!) though I'm sure something profound will strike me in the wee hours of the morning. We would like to share Chef's recipe though as they really were a delectable treat!

Please let us know how they turn out for you, and enjoy!

CHEF'S VEGGIE SNORKERS

This tasty mix can be used for any other sausage substitutes!!! To make into Scotch eggs see below...

dry ingredients:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

3/4 cup Quinoa flakes 

1 1/3 cups soy mince

1/4 cup instant oats or flaked oats

3 tbls chickpea flour or gram flour

4 tbls dried sage

1 tsp salt

pinch nutmeg

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp unrefined cane sugar (can also use Moscavado or dark brown sugar)

wet ingredients:

2 cups water

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Marmite

cooked ingredients:

1 cup diced onion (fried in 3 tbls sunflower oil)

1/2 cup tin kidney beans (blended to a paste)

1/3 pearl barley (cooked & chopped in food processor)

Mix all your dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Mix all wet ingredients together then combine with the dry.  Stir in the cooked ingredients and leave to absorb for 10mins....Ready to use!!

CHEF'S SCOTCH EGGS

To make into Scotch eggs, take your Veggie Snorkers mix and form around cold boiled eggs by wetting your hands lightly.  Use enough to create approx 1.5cm layer around the whole egg.

To breadcrumb:

3-4 tbls panko breadcrumbs

Job well done.

1-2 beaten eggs

2-3 tbs seasoned flour

Coat the sausage wrapped eggs in flour, then in the egg wash.  Roll in breadcrumbs pressing firmly.  While breadcrumbing reform the shape again for a round finish.  Fry in deep fryer at about 160 degrees until golden.

Enjoy, hot or cold!!!