The Egg; Full
of quality protein, virtually carb-free, and packed with vitamins and
minerals. In my opinion, eggs are one of the best resources to have in the kitchen.
I wanted to share my thoughts and techniques on getting the
most out of your dishes. They are so simple to prepare, yet they're constantly botched. Here are tips on preparing eggs in the most popular traditional
ways: scrambled, fried, eggs in a basket, hard-boiled, and omelet.
{Scrambled}
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add a splash half & half, kosher salt and pepper; whisk until the eggs
look foamy and light. Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Melt the butter until it foams, then turn the heat down to low and
slowly pour in the eggs. Add two tablespoons of shredded sharp cheddar. Using a heat resistant rubber spatula, slowly
stir the eggs from the outside of the pan to the center. Once the eggs
begin to set, stirring slowly will create large, cloud-like curds. This
sounds easy but perfect scrambled eggs that are soft and custard-like
with no brown color are a sign of a really good cook. This process takes
about 10 minutes.
{Fried}
Place a small non-stick frying pan over the medium-low heat. Add two tbsp of butter and let slowly melt, when all the butter has melted, crack the egg into a small
bowl, dish, or saucer (taking care not to break the yolk) Cook slowly until whites are
completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 2 to 4
minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slide rubber spatula under each egg and carefully flip it over. Cook second side to desired doneness. For a runny yolk another 2 minutes.
{Shirred}
Butter 4 (6-ounce) creme brulee ramekins and lay 1
slice of ham in each ramekin so that it sits flat on the bottom. Crack 2 eggs into 2 separate small cups and
pour simultaneously into 1 of the ramekins so that the eggs sit side by
side on top of the ham slice. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Repeat with remaining eggs. Place the 4 filled ramekins onto a baking
sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake until eggs are just beginning to
set up and become opaque, 9 to 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drizzle each ramekin with 2 tablespoons of
the heavy cream and then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese over the
top of each. Sprinkle the parsley and chives over the ramekins and then
return to the oven. Cook until eggs are just set up but yolks are still
runny, 10 to 12 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness.
{Egg in a Whole}
Cut a 2-inch round from the center of the bread, reserving the
round. Melt a nut size bit of butter in a small nonstick skillet over
medium heat. Place the slice of bread and the round in skillet and toast
lightly, about 1 minute. Crack the egg into the hole and season with
salt and pepper, and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add
remaining the rest of the butter as needed to brown and crisp the toast.
Flip the egg and round, season with salt and pepper. Cook another 2
minutes for a runny yolk, or slightly longer for a set egg.
{Boiled}
Place eggs in a medium stock pot and cover them with cold
water. Make sure the tops of the eggs are covered by at least an inch of
water. Crowding the eggs risks cracking them. Bring the water to a full boil, uncovered, then turn off the heat and cover it. Let the pot stand untouched for 8 minutes. Remove the boiled eggs from the water and transfer them to a bowl of
cold water for 2 minutes. Then either peel and serve or refrigerate.
{Omelet}
Crack eggs into a bowl, add salt and pepper blend with a fork.
Heat a 10-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan
is hot, add the butter once melted pour
the eggs into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a rubber
spatula for 5 seconds. As soon as a semi-solid mass begins to form, lift
the pan and move it around until the excess liquid pours off into the
pan. Using your spatula, move it around the edge of the egg mixture to
help shape into a round and loosen the edge. Let the omelet sit in the
pan for 10 seconds without touching.
Lift up the far edge of the
pan and snap it back toward you. Add the toppings of your choice. Using your spatula, fold over. Slide the omelet onto a plate. Serve immediately.
Happy Eating!
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