Eggs are an excellent food because of their high protein content, low cost and readily available. They are extremely versatile and are used throughout the kitchen, either served alone or as an ingredient in a prepared dish.

PARTS OF THE EGG

• Shell - The outermost covering of the egg. It prevents microbes from entering and moisture from escaping, and also protects the egg during handling and transport.
• Yolk – The yellow portion of the egg. It constitutes just over 1/3 of the egg and contains 3/4 of the calories, most of the minerals and vitamins and all the fat.
• Albumin – The clear portion of the egg. It is often referred to as the egg white. It constitutes about 2/3 of the egg and contains more than half of the protein and riboflavin. Egg whites do not contain cholesterol and are often added to egg dishes such as omelets to reduce total fat content.

Egg freshness is determined by placing the egg in water. Fresh eggs will lie flat, older eggs will float upright. This is due to the “air sac” in the egg. The older the egg is, the bigger the air sac.

APPLYING VARIOUS COOKING METHODS

Dry-Heat Cooking Methods:

Baking:

• Shirred Eggs – Also referred to as baked eggs. They are prepared in individual ramekins or baking dishes. Ingredients such as breakfast meats or vegetables are added to the ramekins. Then the egg is placed over the top and baked in the oven.
• Quiche – Consist of an egg custard (eggs, cream or milk and seasonings) and fillings baked in a crust.

Sautéing:

• Scrambled eggs – Are eggs whisked with seasonings and then sautéed.
• Omelets – They begin as scrambles eggs then are either folded around or filled with a warm savory mixture.
• Frittatas – They are essentially open-faced omelets.

Pan-Frying:

• Pan-fried eggs – Are commonly referred to as (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, or over hard).
• Basted eggs – Are cooked over low-heat with the hot butter from the pan spooned over them as they cook.

Moist-Heat Cooking Methods:

In-Shell cooking (simmering) – The difference with soft-cooked eggs (also called soft-boiled) and hard-cooked eggs (also called hard-boiled) is time. Both refer to eggs cooked in their shell in hot water.

Despite the word “Boiled”, in their names, the eggs cooked in the shell should never be boiled. Boiling toughens eggs. The eggs should be simmered. Soft-cooked eggs are simmered for 3-5 minutes; hard-cooked eggs may be simmered for as long as 12-15 minutes.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with sufficient water to cover the eggs. Bring water to a simmer.
2. Carefully lower each egg into the simmering water. Simmer uncovered for appropriate time.
3. Lift each egg out of water with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and serve.

Poaching – When poaching eggs always use cold eggs. A cold egg stays together better when dropped into the hot water. The water for poaching is help at approximately 200*F, a gentle simmer.

Procedure:

1. Fill saucepan or stockpot with at least 3 inches of water. Bring water to a simmer.
2. One at a time crack egg into a small bowl or cup. gently slide the egg into the simmering water abd cook for 3-5 minutes.
3. Lift the egg out of the water with a slotted spoon. Trim any ragged edges with a paring knife. Serve immediately.

Poaching egg

Poached egg in ice bath

The best way to use poached eggs: Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce

This Weeks Recipes: Basic Egg Recipes

Fried Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs whole
• Clarified butter

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl; make sure not to break the yolk.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Slide the egg into the pan and cook over medium high heat until the white is cooked and the yolk is soft, for “Sunny side up”.  Flip the eggs and cook for a minute for “Over easy”. Continue to cook for “Over medium” and “Over hard”.

Poached Eggs

Yield: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

• Water for pot
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 fl oz vinegar
• 2 eggs

PROCEDURE:

1. Bring the water to a simmer, add the salt and vinegar.
2. Crack one egg into a cup and carefully add it to the water. Repeat with the other egg.
3. Cook the eggs to the desired doneness, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and serve as or carefully lower them into ice water and refrigerate for later use.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 3-5 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole

PROCEDURE:

1. Place the eggs in a pot and cover them with hot water.
2. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer, boil the eggs for 10-12 minutes from this point forward.
3. Shock the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking and cool.  Peel as soon as possible.

Scrambled Eggs

Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them just before cooking.
2. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
3. Add the egg mixture and cook the eggs, stirring with a wooden spoon, until cooked to desired doneness.

Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Pre-cooked fillings as needed
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them, just before cooking. Preheat a sauté pan with clarified butter to medium high heat.
2. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon, constantly moving the pan back and forth until the egg has slightly coagulated. Pull cooked egg from the sides of the pan toward the center, allowing raw egg to run underneath. If desired, add pre-cooked filling or herbs at this point.
3. Flip one side of the omelet toward the center with a spatula. Slide the omelet onto a plate so that it lands folded in thirds with the seam side underneath.

Suggested fillings – Pre-cooked mushrooms, spinach, peppers, onions, diced ham; Finely grated cheese.  Omelet aux fine herbs:  chopped parsley, chives, and tarragon

Frittata – Farmer Style Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz bacon, diced
• 2 oz onion, diced
• 8 oz potato, par-cooked, diced
• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Cook the bacon in a sauté pan until the fat is rendered. Add the onions and sauté for 1 minute; add the potato and sauté until lightly browned.
2. Break the eggs into a bowl, season and whip them. Add the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Place the pan into a preheated 350 degrees oven and cook until the egg has coagulated, remove the pan and serve.
4. Other par-cooked vegetables may also be added to this preparation.

Soufflé Omelet

Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 eggs, whole
• Season to taste
• 2 oz   cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tsp chives, sliced
• Clarified butter as needed

PROCEDURE:

1. Separate the eggs, beat the egg yolks, and season to taste.
2. Add the grated cheese and chives and fold in.
3. Beat the egg whites to medium soft peaks, fold the egg whites into the yolks.
4. Pour the batter into a preheated buttered pan and bake at 400 degrees until the egg has set, but not dry.  Serve immediately.

Crepes

Yield: 30 each

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs, whole
• 6 egg yolks
• 12 fl oz water
• 18 fl oz milk
• 6 oz granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 14 oz flour
• 5 oz unsalted butter, melted 
clarified butter as needed

Methods:

1. Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, water and milk. Add the sugar, salt and flour; whisk together. Stir in the melted butter. Cover and set aside to rest for at least 1-hour before cooking.
2. Heat a small sauté or crepe pan; brush lightly with clarified butter. Pour in 1-1 1/2 fl oz of batter, swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.
3. Cook the crepe until set and light brown, approximately 30 seconds. Flip it over and cook a few seconds longer. Remove from the pan. Repeat this process until all the batter is used.
4. Cooked crepes may be used immediately or covered and held briefly in a warm oven.

Variations:

• Savory Crepes – Reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon. Substitute up to 5 oz buckwheat flour or whole-wheat flour for an equal amount of the all-purpose flour if desired.
• Savory Crepes Florentine – Fill Savory Crepes with creamed spinach topped with Mornay sauce.

Bacon on Sheet Pan

Yields: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

• 16 Bacon slices 
parchment paper

Methods:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Line a half pan with parchment paper. Layout bacon slices on the parchment paper.  Cook in oven until desired doneness is achieved.



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