Deep South Scotch Eggs

Thanks so much for stopping by for Gollum's Foodie Friday!

I hope you'll come back and look forward to reading your recipes this week!

Some of you will remember that my parents took us to Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Hotel for Christmastime this year. While there, my husband, brother in law and I ventured over to Findley's Irish Pub - and TJ discovered Scotch eggs! The three of us were hungry for a late dinner and ordered "snicky snacks" from the menu: Matt got potato soup, TJ got a bucket of assorted "bangers" (sausages), and I ordered Scotch eggs. Mine was the best, HANDS DOWN, and after eating the one teensy-weensy little bit I shared with him, TJ couldn't keep away from my little fried treats!

I realize that none of that has anything to do with Foodie Friday's recipe, but I thought I'd give you some context. Please forgive me, I do have a tendency to "go on" sometimes!

At any rate, I saw that Rainey from The Project Table posted a recipe for Scotch eggs at last week's Foodie Friday and KNEW I had to try it. After reading through her excellent instructions, the eggs didn't look too hard to make so I thought I'd give it a go, adding a Southern twist. You see, TJ's cut his carb count to almost nil so the breadcrumbs on the outside of these little jewels would have to go - OR WOULD THEY!?

(oh no she didn't!)

(oh YES I DID!)

I substituted crushed "hot" pork cracklings for the breadcrumbs and they turned out wonderfully!

TJ was impressed, I was proud of myself, and even the Bodacious Bean ate a few bites. I made a sauce to go with them: 1.5 T. mayonnaise, 1T. lite sour cream, 1 tsp. yellow mustard (cause that's what we had!), 1 tsp. dried dill and 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper.

The fast version of Rainey's Recipe is below. Honestly though, click over to her blog and check it out for yourself. Her step-by-step pictures are so much easier to understand!

1. Boil 6 eggs until they are hard-cooked (about 8-10 min. after the water has come to a boil), and peel them. *Did you know that putting your eggs in when the water is still cold will prevent that unattractive green ring around the outside of the yolk? My husband didn't, and thought that was a neat trick!
2. Wrap each peeled hard-boiled egg with enough bulk pork sausage to completely cover it. I used a small palmful, and found that 1 lb. sausage will cover approximately 6 eggs.
3. Coat the sausage-covered eggs in crushed pork cracklings or breadcrumbs, and place on a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake at 425 for 25 min. or until done. (Time will depend on how thick your sausage layer is) Voila!