Eggs are an absolute staple in my kitchen and diet.
They’re just so easy to cook and versatile – not to mention cheap as chips – so there’s hardly a week going without some yolk-based dish grazing my dining table and/or lunch box.
Because I love eggs so much, I have quite a few tricks up my sleeves.
… but nothing compared to the egg-perts at the Underground Cooking School, where I recently attended a egg-centric masterclass organised by specialty egg producer Clarence Court and fellow egg-lover Madeleine Shaw.
Together, they took us through the steps of cooking my dream dinner – a three-course meal with eggs for every course.
Really quite egg-citing!
First, we made some healthy vegetarian Scotch eggs, wrapped in chickpea paste and baked to golden perfection.
They’re super easy to make too.
First, make the chickpea paste by blending a can of drained chickpeas.
Mix in a couple spoonful of tahini paste, salt, papper and any spices you like (paprika and cumin are both excellent choices).
Then form a ball with a little bit of the chickpea paste.
Flatten it to about 1/2 thickness and wrap around a 5-6min boiled hen egg (we used some lovely, orange-yolked Burford Brown eggs).
Repeat until you’ve covered the egg entirely, sealing the different pieces together carefully.
Next, the eggs (make one per person) need to be crumbed, following the classic flour-egg-breadcrumb process.
Brush the crumbed eggs with a little bit of olive oil for added golden factor, then baked for 20 min at 200°C.
Whilst our eggs where baking, we learnt how to prepare and filet mackerels…
… and how to make the perfect poached egg, every time!
Essential skills for that night’s main course, and for any cook really, hence the very attentive audience!
Last but not least – pudding!
And not just any pud – Madeleine Shaw’s signature healthy blondie brownies, made by the get-the-glow queen herself!
Just a few ingredients (including super creamy duck eggs) and very speedy to put together, they are the perfect indulgent-but-healthy pick-me-up.
Then in true Underground Cooking School fashion, we sat down to eat the egg-squisite fruits of our labour.
First up, the vegetarian Scotch egg – incredibly satisfying and moreish, and a great recipe to keep in mind for a party (imagine how cute a mini quail egg version would look!).
Then delicious (if somewhat blury) mackerel filets with a perfectly poached, runny egg (look at that yolk colour!) and a side of broccolini.
A simple yet fantastic main, with the creaminess of the egg pairing perfectly with the rich, oily flesh of the fish.
Last but not least – the nuttiest of blondie brownies, served with cocoa nibs for texture and a side of vanilla ice cream.
An egg-celent end to an egg-celent meal, full of egg-centric recipes that are very easy to make at home.
Invite your favourite people over, pick one, two or all three recipes, and you have all the ingredients for a cracking party!
Other cooking classes I’ve tried
A British cocktail masterclass at Hixter Bankside
Butchery masterclass at Barbecoa
I attended this event as a guest of Clarence Court and/or their PR representatives.
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Cake and Whisky 