Nigella Lawson has admitted to being a "longtime doubting hold-out" when it comes to air fryers, until one recipe changed her mind. The celebrity chef and beloved national treasure discovered The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook by Poppy O'Toole back in 2023, which completely transformed her viewpoint.
How the recipe converted Nigella
Writing on her website, Nigella said: "I'm glad to say I am now a convert! I don't know that I'll ever be someone who wants to cook everything in an air fryer, but this book has banished my fear, eradicated my doubts, and led me to discover how to use the air fryer in a way that suits me, for which I am very grateful."
The initial recipe that captured her attention was a mouth-watering scotch egg recipe, which she claims provided her with the "determination and courage to continue" experimenting with the air fryer.
The scotch egg recipe that won her over
Presenting the recipe in the book, Poppy O'Toole explained: "This is a throwback to one of the first dishes I made in my first ever kitchen job. Shoutout to the Scotch eggs of The Queen's Head Inn, Bromsgrove, that I'd make time and time again back in 2011. I wish we'd had an air fryer to speed up the process for equally delicious results."
Ingredients (Makes four)
- Four whole eggs, at room temperature
- Two beaten eggs
- 500g of sausage meat
- 1/2 a teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
- 1/2 a teaspoon of garlic powder
- Two tablespoons of plain flour
- 200g of panko breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method
Heat the air fryer to 130°C/270°F. Place the four whole eggs in the air fryer basket and cook for 11 minutes, which should be sufficient to soft-boil them. While the eggs are cooking, prepare a bowl of ice-cold water. Once the eggs are done, transfer them immediately to the icy water and leave them to cool for approximately five minutes. After cooling, peel the eggs and set them to one side.
In a large bowl, combine the sausagemeat, dried herbs and garlic powder with your hands until the mixture reaches a paste-like consistency. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Using some kitchen roll, pat the peeled eggs dry. Arrange three bowls in front of you — season the flour and tip it into the first bowl, pour the beaten eggs into the second, and place the breadcrumbs in the third.
Take one quarter of the sausage mixture and mould it evenly around one of the boiled eggs, ensuring as uniform a covering as possible. Repeat this process with each remaining egg until all are fully encased in sausage meat.
Heat the air fryer to 180°C/350°F. Dip each wrapped egg first in the flour, shaking off any excess, followed by the beaten egg, and finally roll in the breadcrumbs to ensure a thorough coating. Place in the air fryer basket and cook for 12 minutes, until the sausage is cooked through and the coating is a deep golden colour.
