No matter how many runs I score, or catches I take, or teas I bring, my debt to Strongroom will remain unpaid
London Fields, Hackney, 4/23/2017
Strongroom won by 85 runs
Strongroom: 216 [M.Nicholson 98]
London Fields: 131 [G.Dixon 4-23]
View the Scorecard
There are a few reasons for this, but the most important was my introduction to the scotch egg.
The first time was as a spectator. After a tough game a senior member of the team tucked into a particularly nice-looking one at the Woodman. I’d never seen anything like it before. So much in one small package, all wrapped up in a crispy breadcrumb blanket. Oozy yolk and brown sauce painting a Pollock down the cricket whites. I was smitten, and my odyssey began.
Now, almost four years later, I had the chance to return the favour to those who had brought so much joy to my life - both through cricket and handheld snacking - after our sound win against London Fields. A win, incidentally, that featured a few nice performances - most notably, Grant going through the entire top four in the second innings and chipping in with a handy 31 in the first, nearly taking out an entire young family in the process. Some nice batting down the order from Tryshan gave us a glimpse of what’s (hopefully) to come this year.
I scored a few runs as well, but was bowled just short of the hundred. There were other things on my mind.
After the game, Dave Siddall and I welcomed a few of the lads back to the house for the main event - scotch eggs. The spectator would turn provider.
Here is my recipe. It has been forged over time, just like the best things are; cliff faces, an antique watch, the Jon Gower front foot defensive. I only hope that by sharing this, another cricket might feel that same joy I felt that day nearly four years ago, and the debt will be passed on.
Mitch’s scotch eggs Serves 6 - 6 fancy large free range eggs (for boiling) - 6 eggs of any kind (for the egg wash, you always need more than you think) - 3 packs of your fav sausages (NOT Richmond, they’re too squishy) - Herbs + spices of your choice (I’ll explain) - Panko breadcrumbs OR Doritos - Plain flour - Salt - Pepper - 4x beers
Directions:
1. Take everything out of the fridge and crack the first beer. Never shop when you’re hungry, and never cook when you’re thirsty.
2. Boil the eggs. Some people put them in when the water’s boiling, others go cold. Getting the eggs to that just-boiled-enough-so-you-can-peel-em stage is an art, not a science, so you’ll have to vibe it out. Either way, give them a minute less than what you’d do for runny soldiers.
3. Get someone else to peel the eggs.
4. The fun bit - squeeze all the meat out of your sausages into a big bowl. Really milk em dry.
Once you’ve for all the meat out, you’ve got a base from which you can start to express yourself through your flavour combos. If you want to keep it traditional, you might just want to add some salt, pepper, sage, thyme and mustard. But don’t limit yourself to British flavours - I’m partial to an Asian style (gochujang paste, soy, mirin) or a Mexican (throw some chipotles in adobo sauce in there). Sometimes I use the sausages from my local Brazilian butcher.
Basically, whatever’s in your top three food nationalities, there’s probably a way you could scotch-egg-ify them.
5. Crack the second beer.
6. Roll your sausage meat into a ball about double the size of the egg. Flatten it out about 1cm thick and wrap it around the peeled boiled egg. Roll it around your hands to evenly distribute the meat and massage out any folds.
7. Double crumb. Gotta double crumb. Panko breadcrumbs are the best. Crushed Doritos are also good but watch out because they can turn black in the fryer.
8. Get your oil hot and do the eggs two at a time. Take them out when they’re your favourite shade of golden-brown.
9. Grab your third beer and present the bounty to your waiting friends. Cut them in half in front of everybody. Watch as a crowd gathers. Wonder where some of these people came from. Are they your friends? I thought they were your friends?
10. Enjoy the final beer, your full tummy and the adoration of your friends. Or maybe just the first two.
Written By: M.Nicholson
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