Scotch egg

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A Scotch egg consists of a cold, hard-boiled egg removed from its shell, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. The dish was invented by the London food store Fortnum & Mason, in 1738.^[1] Contrary to popular belief, it is not a Scottish dish. Scotch eggs are commonly eaten cold, typically with salad and pickles.

Scotch eggs were traditionally a picnic food, designed to be eaten fresh. However, in the UK at least, they have acquired an unfashionable, downmarket reputation due to the preponderance of pre-packed, plastic-wrapped Scotch eggs sold at convenience stores and service stations. These are generally made with very cheap meat.

In the United States, many so-called "English-style" pubs and eateries serve fresh-made scotch eggs. These are usually served hot, with dipping sauces such as ranch dressing or hot mustard sauce.

Miniature versions of scotch eggs are also widely available in British supermarkets and are sold under the name 'savoury egg bites', 'picnic eggs', or similar. These contain a chopped, rather than whole, egg filling, sometimes combined with mayonnaise.

In West Africa, some fast-food restaurants offer scotch eggs alongside their other menu items. In Nigeria, Tantalizers and Mr. Biggs both prominently feature scotch eggs.

A popular myth states that Scotch eggs are laid by the Wild Haggis.