Two New Recipes: Scotch Eggs and Spatchcock Chicken with Herby Grain Salad
I just returned from an exciting trip to New York and can't wait to share all the adventures with you soon. In the meantime, here are two new recipes for you to try:
Scotch Eggs (baked and fried) with a spicy dipping sauce
Weeknight Sheet-Pan Recipe: Spatchcock Chicken and Za’atar Veggies with Herby Grain Salad
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Scotch Eggs with Spicy Tangy Dipping Sauce
If you’ve been here a little while, you may know that I declared 2024 the year I start eating breakfast. I love a savory breakfast, and with 6 chickens, I’m always looking for creative, protein-packed ways to use up eggs. Enter: the Scotch egg. This was my first time making them, and I experimented with two different versions: fried and baked. The fried version kept the egg runny, while the baked version resulted in a hard-boiled egg.
To make them, you soft-boil eggs, peel them, wrap them in sausage, then coat them in flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs before frying or baking until done. I paired these with a spicy, tangy dipping sauce. These will definitely enter my breakfast rotation. With a super simple side salad, it makes a complete meal. I preferred the baked version: it didn’t make as much of a mess, and I liked the hard-boiled egg for portability.
makes 4 eggs (2 fried, 2 baked)
Ingredients:
6 large eggs (4 for the scotch eggs, 2 for dredging)
1 lb ground chicken breakfast sausage (this should be seasoned already)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
Flaky sea salt
Vegetable oil, for frying or brushing
1/2 cup Kewpie mayonnaise
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1-2 tsp hot sauce (adjust to taste)
1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Boil 4 eggs for 4-5 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Once cool, peel the eggs.
Divide the sausage mixture into 4 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a thin patty. Wrap the sausage around each peeled egg, ensuring the egg is fully covered.
Place the flour in one bowl, the remaining 2 eggs (beaten) in another bowl, and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Roll each sausage-wrapped egg in flour, then dip in the beaten eggs, and finally coat with breadcrumbs.
Baked version: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the coated eggs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with a little vegetable oil to help them crisp up. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning them halfway through to ensure even browning.
Fried version: Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or deep fryer to 350°F. Fry the coated eggs for about 5-6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Make sure the sausage is cooked through. Remove the Scotch eggs from the oil and drain on paper towels.
Make the dipping sauce by combining mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, hot sauce, mustard, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Enjoy your Scotch Eggs and Spicy Tangy Dipping Sauce!
Spatchcock Chicken with Za’atar Vegetables and Herby Quinoa Salad
This recipe emerged after a long weekend of indulgence—I was craving something nourishing, fresh, and packed with veggies. Spatchcocking a chicken is simpler than it sounds; it ensures even cooking and saves time. To make the most of the pan drippings, lay down some vegetables. I chose beets, carrots, and fennel, but you can use any veggies you like. The real star here is the herby quinoa salad—simple yet refreshingly delicious. It might seem like a lot of herbs, but it perfectly balances the quinoa. Nutty toasted almonds add crunch, while refreshing cucumbers and tangy tomatoes round it out. This quinoa salad is a standout on its own but also makes a fantastic side. I enjoyed it the next day for lunch on a bed of salad greens with shredded chicken breast. I’m calling this a grain salad but it’s up for debate whether or not quinoa is in fact a grain - it’s technically a seed (I think).
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Ingredients:
For the Chicken:
1 whole chicken, spatchcocked
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
3 medium beets, cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, cut into large chunks
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced
½ lemon sliced
1 tablespoon za'atar
Additional salt and pepper to taste
For the Herby Quinoa Salad:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 cup cucumber, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
For the Chicken and Roasted Vegetables:
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, combine the beets, carrots, and fennel. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with za'atar, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle paprika, salt and pepper on chicken. Rub the seasoning mixture all over the spatchcocked chicken.
Roast in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before carving.
For the Herby Quinoa Salad:
In a medium saucepan, bring water and quinoa to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked and the water is absorbed. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and let it cool.
In a large bowl, combine the quinoa with the diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped basil, mint, parsley, and toasted almonds.
Combine the juice of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in with the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss everything together until well combined.
Carve the roasted spatchcock chicken and serve it alongside the roasted beets, carrots, and fennel. Serve the herby quinoa salad on the side or as a bed for the chicken and vegetables.