One of my favorite treats from the United Kingdom (UK) are Scotch Eggs.  I have seen them served with mustard, gravy, and cheese, but my favorite way of eating them is with gravy and horseradish.

What is a Scotch Egg?
A Scotch egg consists of a shelled hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. In the UK, Scotch eggs are commonly eaten cold, typically with salad and pickles. Scotch eggs were traditionally a picnic food and homemade. In the UK, pre-packed, plastic-wrapped Scotch eggs are commonly available in supermarkets, convenience stores and motorway service stations.  Miniature versions of Scotch eggs are also widely available in British supermarkets, and are sold under the name ’savoury eggs’, ‘picnic eggs’, ‘party eggs’, ’snack eggs’ or similar. These contain a chopped, rather than whole, egg filling, sometimes combined with mayonnaise or chopped bacon.

Contrary to popular belief, Scotch Eggs were actually invented by the famous London department store, Fortnum & Mason in 1851.  (http://www.en.wikipedia.org)

In the United States, many “English-style” pubs and eateries serve fresh-made Scotch eggs. These are usually served hot, with dipping sauces such as ranch dressing, hot sauce, or hot mustard sauce. Even the Minnesota State Fair, true to its fair tradition, Scotch eggs are served on a stick.  Due to English influence, some fast-food restaurants in West Africa offer Scotch eggs alongside their other menu items. In Nigeria, Tantalizers and Mr. Biggs both prominently feature Scotch eggs.  Some of Britain’s culinary favorites also crossed over to the Indian sub-continent and there is a popular Indian dish called nargisi kofta also known in English as Curried Scotch Eggs. The spices used suggest a Moghul influence.

When making Scotch eggs at home, cooks may fry and then bake or microwave the Scotch eggs to ensure that the sausage is cooked all the way through.  Some recipes are more challenging than others, but my recipe below, I found, is one of the easier ones to follow.

Scotch Eggs Ingredients
6 hard-cooked eggs, well chilled
1 pound breakfast sausage (I recommend Woodsend or other Amish brand Sausage or vegetarian sausage paste may be used)
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup fine bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Peel eggs and set aside. Divide sausage into 6 portions. Roll each egg in flour and with hands press a portion of the sausage around each egg.

Dip sausage-wrapped eggs into beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs. Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cook each egg in oil about 4-5 minutes or until sausage is cooked and browned. Drain on paper toweling. Serve warm.

An interesting article on cultural food taboos.  I thought I would share. Read it here

It’s an interesting article.  Over the years, I’ve tried various foods in my travels.  Early on, I tried somethings I enjoyed like rattlesnake, venison, and elk, but more over I found things I didn’t like: squirrel, raccoon, and bear.  I benefited that my former father-in-law, was, at one time, the head of DNR for Northern Wisconsin.  Through him, I was able to try some of the more exotic meats.

Later, I’ve had the experience of trying other dishes: locusts, ants, dog, horse, etc.  All the while, learning about other cultures.  What did the dishes mean, why were certain spices used with dishes and not others.

Recently, I learned about my family’s internal cultures and associations.  Despite my interests in a lot of Middle Eastern flavors and dishes, my husband, who is a paramedic, associates some of the smells with various injuries and infections he has encountered while being on the job.  Despite being married nearly 8 years, I never knew this about him.  Being sympathetic, I now understand his aversion to certain foods and dishes.  I also have my own food taboos such as not eating internal organs, which includes casings for hot dogs and other sausages.  It’s rather humorous watching me eat a bratwurst when I have to skin it before eating.

In the future, I work very hard at making items that won’t cause him to associate dishes with his own work experiences.

Cast Iron has been used for several centuries in providing meals to others.  Ideally, they were to be used and handed down to the offspring, who would hand it down to their offspring.  If “hand me down” cast iron is not available, finding used well-seasoned cast iron at garage sales and/or estate sales are the best way to go.  Cast Iron pots include fry pans, griddles, dutch ovens, cauldrons, sauce pots, and grills in all different sizes. 

Cast iron cookware, in my humble opinion, is great.  Once seasoned, cooks can use less oil and they are easy to clean and maintain.  Sometimes, it is difficult to buy used cast iron and it becomes necessary to buy new (pre-seasoned) cookware.  Pre-seasoned does not mean it is seasoned as it should be.  Things will still stick to the “pre-seasoned” new cookware.  Below are some steps I can offer on how to season your own cast iron cookware.  Remember: Pot lids need to be seasoned as well.

1.  If you have a fire pit or barbecue pit, that is ideal.  The heat is intense, but it will get the job done efficiently without smoking up your house.

A.  If you are a vegetarian or vegan, use olive oil.  This will take longer (about 10 times) as the fats will take longer to caramelize.

B.  If you eat meat, use lard.  Three seasonings should do the trick.

2.  Using the fire pit or barbecue, coat the interior and exterior of the pot with oil/lard and put onto the fire.  The oils may catch fire and this is expected.  After 10 minutes, turn the pot over so the inside may be done as well; after 10 minutes, pull off of the heat.

3.  Coat again and repeat (3 times for lard or 10 times for olive oil)

4.  Once cool after the final firing, wash with water and cloth only.  Do not scrub your pot and do not use soap.  After you use it for cooking, only light scrubbing with a cloth or natural fiber scrubber with water should be used.  You don’t want to remove the carbons that have been used to season  your pot.

If you are one of the unfortunate people who do not have access to fire and can only use a stove, I will warn you that this can be a smelling and messy project.

Preheat the oven for 450 degrees.  Once hot, coat your pot in the oil of your choice (olive oil or lard).  Keep in the oven for 45 minutes and pull out to re-coat the pot.  Repeat for steps 3 and 4, skipping steps 1 and 2.

In today’s economy, many are making cutbacks in all areas of the household budget.  Anything that can be eliminated is considered.  For many, the days of eating out everyday are gone and are being replaced with brown bag lunches.  It’s hard on a lot of families who were used to living in one lifestyle and suddenly, they need to change the way they live their lives.

Often, the food that is cheap (and highly over-processed) is not good for you as it is often contains unhealthy fillers, high fructose corn syrups, nitrates, MSG, and/or other unhealthy ingredients which can increase behavioral issues with children and adults alike.

In an earlier blog (http://alicethecook.com/?p=128), I touted the benefits of buying  locally.  It is idea and helps the environment and the community, but can also hurt the pocketbook.  Below are some suggestions at buying good food, which can lead to healthy and tasty meals which help with the budget.

A couple of suggestions.  Consider finding a meat slicer (used or new), chest or upright freezer, food dehydrator, and a “food saver.”   Each of these items as well as some good food storage containers can help keep your food fresh for a longer time period.  Buying in bulk and cutting the items down to family-friendly servings are ideal.

• A 14 lb. shoulder beef roast at Sam’s Club can cost around $22-$25, but can be cut into 30-40 steaks or 5 smaller roasts.  Roasts can be sliced up for sandwich meat.
  
• Buying a whole chicken and cutting it up is significantly cheaper than buying processed chicken.  Remember, some scraps can be used for other things. Chicken backs which are usually disposed of can be used to make broth or stock.
  
• Check out the local ethnic food markets for fresh fish and rice at cheaper prices
• Consider adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet.  It’s not only healthier, but easier on the budget that processed meat.
  
• Left over vegetables that may not be enough for a serving, can be used with other vegetables and made into soup, stir fry, etc.
• By drying fruits, you can have a healthy snack at less cost that can be kept for a longer time.
  
• Review the packaging and read the ingredients.  Are you buying a name brand and/or a lot of chemicals?
• Dried beans are better for you and less expensive than canned beans.  They do require some planning by soaking overnight (24 hours) prior to use, but the higher magnesium, protein, and fibers levels will be much more beneficial.
• Pay attention to your local store’s coupons.  Two-for-ones are great for saving money especially on items that can be used to offset eating out prices.  Pick up things you go through quickly and that are versatile so you always have items for an easy meal:  rice, pasta, pasta sauce, etc…
  
• Get creative with recipes.  Some times, when money is really tight, you can take an inventory of what you have and visit some websites that specialize in recipes with four or five ingredients.  I like http://busycooks.about.com/od/fouringredient/a/fouringredient.htm.  You can do a search based on some of the ingredients you have.
• Selecting a day where lunches can be made in advance.  For example:  A family size lasagna can be cut up into 12 different servings
• Be eco-friendly and buy a water container and avoid buying bottled water.  Water is good for you, but the disposable plastic bottles are not good for the environment.
  
• Date the items you put into the freezer with a permanent marker on the packaging so you don’t lose it to freezer burn and your money won’t go to waste.

I hope you found these suggestions useful.  There are other locations and resources in other states that can help families that are really struggling to feed their families.  If you are one of these families or people, visit Second Harvest Heartland or your ear food shelf.

If you are one of the fortunate ones, consider donating to an area food shelf and help others who may be struggling.