Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅔ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 recipe quantity Green Salad, to serve
For the Chicken & Thyme Coating
- 14 ounces ground chicken
- 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 grated lemon juice and zest
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Breadcrumb Coating
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs or fine dried breadcrumbs
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup milk
How to Make It
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Bring a pan of water to a boil over high heat. Gently lower the eggs into the water, then boil 6½ minutes. Lift the eggs out, using a slotted spoon, put in a bowl of ice-cold water to stop them from cooking further and leave for 5 minutes. Peel them in the water, to stop them from breaking, then drain and let cool.
- Meanwhile, mix together the meat-coating ingredients, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Put the flour and the breadcrumbs in two separate shallow bowls. In a third bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk and season with a pinch of salt to make an egg wash.
- Roll the hard-boiled eggs in the flour. Dust your hands with a little more flour and pat out one-quarter of the chicken mixture into a flat oval on your hand. Put a boiled egg in the center and gently wrap the meat around the egg so that it is evenly covered, pinching the edges together to seal. Roll the egg in the egg wash, shaking off any excess, then roll it in the breadcrumbs, then roll it in the egg wash and breadcrumbs again. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot to 325°F, when a cube of bread browns in 60 seconds. Gently lower the eggs into the oil, using a slotted spoon, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the breadcrumbs are a dark golden brown. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels 2 to 3 minutes, then transfer to the oven for 10 minutes to ensure that the chicken is cooked through but the outside is not too brown. Mix the mustard into the mayonnaise. Cut the eggs in half and serve with the flavored mayonnaise and a fresh salad.
