Author Notes
These were the snack of my childhood - we always had them at Mr Biggs, the Nigerian equivalent of MacDee, along with Jam doughnuts. Then a few years ago, I came across a no-bake method which I've made on many occassions, both with hen and quails eggs. A perfect addition to any lunch or picinic box.
Pack a pot of mustard. A bottle of refreshing cordial and some sparkling water.
Find a great spot to lay out your gingham blanket and set your basket upon, perhaps grassy dunes or a rolling meadow. —Kitchen Butterfly
Ingredients
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4 medium chicken eggs, at room temperature or a dozen quail eggs and 1 chicken egg
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2 slices of (wholemeal) bread, crusts removed
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100ml milk
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3 rashers of bacon (desalted by giving a short hot water bath, if you wish)
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400g good-quality pork sausage meat
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1 small shallot, finely chopped
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Grating of mace or nutmeg
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1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme, chopped (or other herbs)
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Black pepper, to taste
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Centigrade (375 degrees Fahrenheit)
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Boil the eggs, reserving 1 chicken egg. Simmer for 5 minutes from the moment the water starts to bubble, then drain and run under cold water to prevent further cooking and grey-ringed yolks.When cool, peel eggs carefully as they may be a bit soft.
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Soak the bread in the milk for a minute and then remove it and squeeze it dry.
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Put the bread and sausage meat in a large bowl along with the remaining egg, lemon thyme and nutmeg. I added a sprinkling of black pepper and a pinch of salt.
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Line a muffin mould ( I used my colourful silicone ones) with a rasher of (desalted) bacon and press some meat mixture into the base. Add a boiled egg to each mould, pointy end up and pack the meat mixture around and over the eggs until completely covered.
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Bake for half an hour, or until nicely browned. I found that a lot of the fat from the sausage meat and bacon baked and drained away.
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Let cool and then pack away as part of a delicious lunch
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