COOKING OF EGGS!
Eggs can be prepared for breakfast, brunch or a meal in a number of ways
Fried Eggs
Poached Eggs
Boiled Eggs
Shirred Eggs
Omelets
FRIED EGGS
A fried egg has to be glossy, tender and moist no matter what the degree of doneness is. Always break the eggs into a bowl, so if there are any blood spots or a broken yolk you can save the egg for some other preparation.
Use a well-seasoned pan, heat it over a low fire till warm, add butter but remember the temperature should be just warm, when you slide in the egg.
SUNNY SIDE UP!
Fried but not turned over or flipped over, the white should be cooked firm and the yolk should be cooked medium.
OVER EASY!
It is best to make this by placing a sunny side up fried egg under a heat source. The thin film of albumen, which coats the yolk, will cook and form a white layer over the yolk.
TURNED OVER OR OVER WELL!
This is a sunny side up fried egg that is flipped over. Both the yolk and white are to be firm.
SCRAMBLED EGGS!
Whites and yellow beaten together, then fried and broken up while cooking. Scrambled eggs are normally served soft. Some chefs add milk to the beaten egg.
POACHED EGGS:
It is a simple process, but there are several factors that are critical in achieving a good looking poached egg- one that has a compact, glossy, obviously tender white surrounding an unbroken somewhat thickened yolk.
The first quality is the freshness of the egg. The white will looked ragged and unattractive if the egg is old.
The second factor is the poaching liquid. This is a liquid with water, salt, and vinegar. Normally a teaspoon of salt and 15ml. Vinegar for about 500ml. Water.
The third factor is the temperature; it should not be too hot as to create agitation, but hot enough to start cooking the white as soon as the egg hits the water.
Make sure there is enough liquid so that the water temperature does not drop drastically when you introduce the egg.
Break the eggs into a bowl and slip it into the side of the dish gently. When done take them out with a skimmer or a perforated spoon and drain them well. Poached eggs can be served plain on buttered toast or English muffins.
BOILED EGGS!
They differ from poached eggs in that they are cooked in their shell in hotter water. But though they are call boiled the water should be at a simmer and not at a rolling boil.
The eggs should preferably be at room temperature to prevent the shell from cracking.
Like most other egg, preparations which have varying degrees of doneness boiled eggs are cooked -hard, soft, or medium cooked. The times referred to here are for eggs that are at room temperature placed in water that is already simmering.
Soft boiled egg-3-5 minutes
Medium boiled-7-8 minutes
Hard boiled - 10-15 minutes.
The time spans given are broad due to the different sizes of eggs. For the smaller eggs use the lower time, and for the larger eggs the higher limit. Never overcook a hard-boiled egg as the whites would get tough and the egg will darken around the yolk. (Find out why?)
SHIRRED EGGS:
These are eggs, which are cooked and served in the same dish, usually a shallow flat-bottomed earthenware dish. One has to coat the dish with butter and break the eggs into it. Cook it over the fire for a while and then put it into an oven.
OMELETS:
This is the most difficult to master, as a lot of patience, and practice is required. A perfect omelet is fluffy and moist, soft in the center, yellow in colour with no brown at all. It should be oval in shape and one continuos piece. You can add your fillings into the beaten mixture or you can add it before you make the first fold. Some chefs add a little water or milk.
COMMON PITFALLS!
Eggs brown and crisp-Too much heat. Cook at 60-70*C.
Egg white Blistered-Too much heat or too much fat.
Odd shaped eggs- eggs not fresh
Eggs sticking-Too much heat, too little fat, or porous cooking surface.