Irish Eggs
Course: Main Skill level: easy Serves: 2
4 bacon rashers
1 x 400 g Mash Direct Mashed Potato
Handful of parsley, chopped roughly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 large free-range eggs
Plain flour for dusting
Breadcrumbs for coating
Sunflower oil for frying
To Serve: side salad; dipping sauce.
1 Cut the bacon rashers into small pieces, removing any fat. Fry in a frying-pan until they start to crisp.
2 Follow cooking instructions on the side of the pack of Mash Direct Mashed Potato, then allow the mashed potato to cool until you can handle it comfortably. In a bowl, add the mashed potato, parsley and bacon and mix together.
3 Bring a saucepan of salted water to a rapid boil, then lower two of the eggs into the pan and simmer for 7 minutes 30 seconds exactly. Scoop them out of the pan and place in a bowl of iced water, cracking the shells a little to make them easier to peel later. Leave the eggs to cool, then peel when completely cold.
4 Position a piece of cling film over your chopping board and place around half of the mashed potato mixture in the middle. Using your hands, flatten it out to a long oval shape large enough to wrap around an egg (around half an inch thick). Place the egg in the middle and gather the ends of the cling film so that the egg is enclosed in the filling. Make sure the egg is covered evenly and smoothly with the filling. Repeat this process with the other egg.
5 Whisk the remaining two eggs lightly and place the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates. Coat the mash-covered eggs with the flour, then the beaten eggs, then the breadcrumbs.
6 Heat the sunflower oil in a deep pan, using enough oil to cover the eggs. Heat the oil until it reaches 170-180 deg. C. on a cooking thermometer or until a few breadcrumbs turn golden after 10 seconds in the oil.
7 Using a slotted spoon, place both eggs in the oil for around 3 minutes or until the breadcrumbs turn golden brown. Leave to rest on a paper towel. Serve warm with a side salad and dipping sauce.