SMELL-TASTE-LOOK BACK TO BASICS
EGG COOKING
Practical cooking class on “How to prepare various egg dishes” I think most of Chef should learn again this ...
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Eggs are one of the most versatile food products, used on its own or for a variety of cooking applications, such as binding, thickening, emulsifying, coloring & moisturizing.
They are very nutritious, containing high-quality protein and have a variety of essential vitamins and minerals.
HANDLING AND STORAGE OF EGGS
1. Eggs are very perishable goods and have to be handled and stored with special care.
2. Eggs have to be considered to be a carrier of bacteria’s (Salmonella is a bacteria that causes most of the food-borne illnesses, such as upset stomach and food poisoning) and there for have to be stored under continuous refrigeration.
3. Always use pasteurized eggs, only use shell eggs for single-service applications. All eggs must be cooled at 5°C or below at all times. Discard cracked eggs, use only shielded eggs.
4. Store eggs at all times below ready to eat foods and either on ice in a perforated pan or submerged in ice water.
5. Never store eggs together or next to strong smelling food since they will absorb the smell.
EGG SIZES AND WEIGHT COMPARISON
EU | Grams/Egg | EU | Grams/Egg | ||
Jumbo | 1 | Over 70 | Medium | 5 | 50-55 |
Extra Large | 2 | 65-70 | Small | 6 | 45-50 |
Heavy Large | 3 | 60-65 | Peewee | 7 | Under 45 |
Light Large | 4 | 55-60 | (divide grams by 2.3625 to get ounce per dozen) | ||
CHECKING THE FRESHNESS OF EGGS
There are various techniques to check the freshness of an egg.
1. Submerge the egg in cold water, if it lies horizontally it is fresh, if slightly tilted less fresh and if vertical the egg is old.
2. Submerge the egg in 10 saltwater solution; fresh eggs will sink to the bottom, old eggs float.
3. Break an egg onto a saucer. A fresh egg will have a round yolk sitting high up with the gelatinous white clinging to it and a second outer circle of flatter more liquid white. If the egg is old the yolk turns flat and the white looses its inner circle.
Serving size guidelines
- Easy Egg 2 egg order 120 g or 2 x 2oz ladle (for scrambled eggs and omelet)
3 egg order 160 g or 3 x 2oz ladle
- Egg White 2 egg order 120 g or 2 x 2oz ladle (for egg white dishes)
3 egg order 160 g or 3 x 2oz ladle
- Egg Beater 2 egg order 120 g or 2 x 2oz ladle (for egg beater dishes)
3 egg order 160 g or 3 x 2oz ladle
- Whole Egg as per order (for fried and poached only)
EGG PREPARATIONS
The perfect pan for scrambled eggs, fried eggs and omelet is a seasoned iron or aluminum pan. Non-stick pans are easier to handle but can not be exposed to too much heat and will lose their coating when not handled correctly.
BOILED EGGS
Follow these instructions for a perfectly boiled egg.
1. If using refrigerated cold eggs never place the eggs in boiling water to avoid cracking. Rinse them first with warm and then hot water. Then place them in the water and bring it to the boil fast.
2. Prick them with a needle at the round end to allow the steam to escape.
3. Use a timer, never guess the time.
4. Use a small saucepan to avoid the eggs from crashing into each other.
5. Do not let the water boil too hard. Just a simmer is enough.
Guidelines for boiling eggs: (from the time the water boils again)
2-3 minutes: very soft boiled egg (runny white & yolk, hardly cooked, yolk cold)
4 minutes: soft boiled egg (white half set, runny yolk, yolk warm)
5 minutes: soft boiled egg (white almost set, runny yolk, yolk warm)
6 minutes: soft boiled egg (white set, yolk creamy and warm)
8 minutes: medium boiled egg (white set, yolk just set)
10 minutes: hard boiled egg (white & yolk set)
POACHED EGGS
1. Bring water in a flat sauce pan to just below boiling point - 96°C (do not fill higher than 4 cm)
2. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 10 grams of salt per liter of water.
3. Crack the eggs in a cup and let them glide into the water.
4. Baste the tops with the water to ensure even cooking.
5. Poach for three to four minutes (four if refrigerated cold eggs are used) depending on the size of the egg.
6. Remove them with a slotted spoon and dry them on paper towels.
7. If using the poached eggs for cold dishes or later for reheating them place them into ice water to prevent them from cooking further (reheat in 70-75°C hot salted water for 2-3 minutes)
CLASSIC DISHES: - Egg Benedict, Egg Florentine,
FRIED EGGS
1. Use clarified butter to fry eggs. The advantage is that clarified butter can be
heated higher than butter.
2. Heat the pan (we use non-stick) and add a little clarified butter and swirl around
to coat the pan, remove excess butter
4. Open the eggs in a cup and slide them in a pan; for 2 fried eggs a 15 cm frying
5. pan is suitable.
6. Fried Eggs - Sunny Side Up Cook on medium heat, let the egg settle and start to set, cooking it until it is done
7. For Fried Eggs - Over Easy cook them until the egg white is almost set and flip the eggs in the pan, making sure the yolks do not pop (if they do, start all over again) – cook them for another minute on this side and serve
6. For Fried Eggs - Over Hard cook them until the egg white is set, flip them and
cook them on the other side for three more minutes to make sure the yolk is well done
OMELETES
Speed and the correct mise-en-place are crucial for preparing the perfect omelet.
Do not over-beat the eggs, if using whole eggs simply mix the yolk and egg white together with a fork.
You need the correct sized pan for an omelet – 15cm for 2-3 eggs; 24cm for 4-5 eggs. If the omelet is too thin it will be dry and tough, if too thick spongy.
1. Heat a pan to medium heat.
2. Crack three eggs or place three 2oz ladles of easy egg in a bowl.
3. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste
4. Add a half walnut sized piece of butter to the pan and swirl the pan to coat it with the butter (do not brown the butter)
5. Turn the heat up to its highest.
6. When the butter starts to froth add the eggs, shaking the pan to spread them out evenly.
7. Using a wooden or plastic spoon, draw the edges of the omelet to the center, allowing the liquid egg to run into the space.
8. Repeat this all around the omelet until the liquid egg is almost set.
9. Fold over twice and serve on a warm plate (Plain Omelet) and glaze with cold butter.
10. For Filled Omelets use little filling by sautéing the filling in the pan you will make the omelet in – remove and keep warm; add to the omelet before folding (except cheese which is not sautéed but just added before folding).
NOTES:
I. the omelet will continue cooking when you have folded it (heat retention); so never cook it so the surface is dry
II. NEVER turn an omelet, it will become dry and tough
III. An omelet has just a hint of golden color and is never browned, unless requested by the guest
IV. Finish your omelet by glazing it with cold butter, this will give it a nice shine
SCRAMBLED EGGS
1. Heat a non-stick pan and melt a walnut sized piece of butter – do not brown.
2. Season the beaten eggs (Easy Eggs) and put them in the foaming butter.
3. With a wooden or plastic spoon stir and scramble the egg.
4. Take the pan off the heat while there is still some liquid egg left, then add another small piece of butter while the eggs finish cooking.
OTHER EGG PREPARATIONS
1. FRIED EGGS (deep-fried/oeuf frit) – crack eggs in bowl and let them glide into hot frying oil fold the white around the yolk; cook for three minutes
2. EGGS IN CUPS (oeufs en cocotte) – butter casserole dishes generously and break an egg into each one. Season with salt and pepper, then place some butter on top. Place in a dish and pour water to come half-way and bake in the oven or steam for 10-15 minutes.
3. MOLDED EGGS (oeufs moules) – eggs are poached in forms and then decorated
4. OPEN FACED OMELETTES (Spain
Interesting facts about eggs
Ø It takes a hen 24 to 26 hours to produce an egg. Thirty minutes later, she starts all over again.
Ø To tell if an egg is raw or hard-cooked, spin it! If the egg spins easily, it is hard-cooked but if it wobbles, it is raw.
Ø Bloodspots, also called meat spots, do not indicate a fertilized egg. They are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel on the yolk surface during formation of the egg or by a similar accident in the wall of the oviduct.
Ø The breed of hen determines the color of the shell. Breeds with white feathers and ear lobes lay white eggs; breeds with red feathers and ear lobes lay brown eggs.
Ø China US
Ø The egg shell may have as many as 17,000 tiny pores over its surface. Through them, the egg can absorb flavors and odors. Storing them in their cartons helps keep them fresh.
Ø Eggs age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator.
Ø Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain Vitamin D.
Ø Yolk color depends on the diet of the hen. Natural yellow-orange substances such as marigold petals may be added to light-colored feeds to enhance colors. Artificial color additives are not permitted.
Ø Occasionally, a hen will produce a double yolk egg throughout her egg-laying career. It is rare, but not unusual, for a young hen to produce an egg with no yolk at all.
Ø if eggs are too fresh (less than 24 hours) you can not whip the white stiff
Ø Egg white makes baked items lighter – but dryer
Ø Egg yolks make baked items denser – but moister.
Ø The omelet world champion can make around 450 omelets in 30 minutes
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