All eyes will turn to London as the Summer Olympics begin Friday. Tourists will fill England, hoping for the best seats to watch all the sports as well as looking for good seats in the restaurants.
The traffic and crowds in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics were a headache, so I have no interest in repeating the experience in London.
But there's no reason not to celebrate with a taste of the motherland at home while you watch the sporting events from the comfort of your lazy chair. Scotch eggs, which are widely available in British supermarkets, are the ideal accompaniment. You can have them for an Olympics brunch or even serve them as an appetizer.
This recipe is from Colman's, a mustard company based in Great Britain. In my opinion, anything made with Colman's is just a little better because there's something about Colman's that adds a little kick. I've always used Colman's products when making homemade mustard, and now I've started using it in place of other mustards just because it's so much better.
I translated this recipe from metric to U.S. measurements using a conversion calculator I found at www.gourmetsleuth.com. Let me know how it works for you. And I do hope you enjoy it during your Olympics viewing.
Before I say cheerio, chaps, for the day, let me end by saying Go, Team USA!
Scotch Eggs
3/4 pound (400 grams) ground sausage
51/2 ounces (150 grams) sage-and-onion stuffing mix (prepared according to package directions)
1 tablespoon Colman's English mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 large eggs, hard-boiled
2 medium eggs
1/2 teaspoon Colman's mustard powder
2 cups (200 grams) fresh breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Mix together the sausage, prepared stuffing mix and English mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide mixture into 8 equal portions. Cut 8 pieces of plastic wrap approximately 6 inches square. Spread the sausage mixture on each piece, then lay a hard-boiled egg in the center and gather the plastic wrap around it, molding the sausage mixture around the egg until it is completely covered, leaving the plastic wrap on. Repeat with all 8 pieces. Chill in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours, then remove from refrigerator and remove plastic wrap.
In a small bowl, beat the raw eggs and mustard powder. In a second dish, lay out the breadcrumbs. Roll the sausage-covered eggs in the egg/mustard mixture, then in the breadcrumbs, taking care to cover the eggs completely during both actions. When all the eggs have been covered, place them on a plate in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours so that the coating will set and not fall off during frying.
In a deep-fryer heated to 375 F, fry 2 to 3 eggs at a time. When the coating has turned golden brown, remove from hot oil and drain in paper towels. Alternately, the eggs may be fried in a skillet filled with oil heated just till it begins to smoke.
To serve, cut eggs in half and offer them with chunks of cheese and fresh tomatoes, along with a good dollop of English mustard.
A quick update ... Last week's column about chocolate-covered bacon produced an email from Cynthia Wood who, along with Antonia Poland, has just opened a new restaurant on Chattanooga's North Shore, Dipped Fresh, 221 River St. Wood said that in addition to serving gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, smoothies and ice cream bars, the restaurant specializes in chocolate-covered bacon. So this is the place to go if you need to satisfy your salty/sweet craving.