Adding an Egg
Eggs have been declared “good to eat” again from a health standpoint. In fact, eggs are a powerhouse packed in a thin shell.
The American Egg Board in Illinois says, “Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse, with one egg containing 6 grams of high-quality protein and nine essential amino acids, all for 70 calories. Eggs are also one of the few foods that are a naturally good source of Vitamin D, nothing artificial.”
It’s no wonder why eggs are a critical component of many cuisines and traditions. There is a saying in Latin that translates to “All life comes from an egg.” Christianity celebrates with eggs at Easter to show the new life in Christ, but eggs are also simply good for living. At Easter the hard-boiled egg is king. While this is a fun and colorful (if decorating) way of preparing this incredible edible, there are more ways to use eggs than hard-boiling them. In addition, there are more times to eat eggs and dishes made with eggs than with the almighty deviled egg (good any time!) breakfast and brunch or lunch or even the light dinner of quiche or frittata. simply adding an egg to a dish. Some recipes call for adding a friend egg or poached on top after cooking; others recommend adding the egg raw and then cooking the dish a bit more which also cooks the egg.
As a child, when my father to come home on the nights he worked until 11 p.m., I would watch him take a small pan of tomato sauce, heat it to boiling and crack an egg in it. Then he would eat the sauce-poached egg and sauce together with a thick slice of delightfully crusty Italian bread. Eggs on top of hash instead of cooking them separately on the side, eggs inside a piece of toast—food is getting cozier with the egg.
On a recent trip to Italy, I saw eggs added on top of lentils. Both the Greeks and the Italians promote a chicken soup with a fresh egg dropped in and then stirred. The egg cooks in the hot broth. The soups are the Greek avgolemono and the Italian straciatella. Recent television food shows and burger menus have introduced me to the idea of adding a friend egg on top of a burger. Egg on top of a steak has long been a breakfast option in many places. Eggs provide a simple natural alternative to complicated sauces as well. Serving a fried egg on top of that veal cutlet to enjoy the creaminess of the yolk spilling over it is considered fine dining—and it adds beaucoup flavor and vitamins with only a few extra calories. Furthermore, using an egg as topping looks great! Even the most novice cook can crack an egg on top of whatever cook the dish a tiny bit more and serve. It will look amazing! Moreover, the serving will taste amazing. To my mind adding an egg on top is second only to the soufflé for a “fancy and festive use” of those tasty treats we call eggs.
Of course, the most important thing about cooking in any manner with eggs is to start with fresh eggs. The American Egg Board has put together a list of things to “decode” egg carton codes and tell you what “farm raised”, “organic” and other terms mean when it comes to eggs. You can check out their entire list here: http://www.aeb.org/images/PDFs/Retail/Egg-Labeling-InfographicPrint.pdf.
I store my eggs in the carton. Eggshells are porous. The more air, the faster they go bad. Determining freshness is the most important part of that list. According to the American Egg Board, eggs commonly leave the farm within 24-36 hours of being laid. Freshness codes on the carton need to be carefully examined. The Egg Board bulletin states, “The dates on some egg cartons ensure eggs aren’t kept on shelves past a certain date.” The Egg Board says they can be eaten safely for at least a two-week period after that date. When I am unsure about eggs in my refrigerator, I crack them into a bowl before adding them to other ingredients. Then I smell them.
If they smell OK, I use them. Otherwise, I toss them. A site called thekitchen.com offers these tips for testing egg freshness. That site advises placing each egg in a bowl of water. “If the egg lies on its side at the bottom, it is still quite fresh. If the egg stands upright on the bottom, it is still fine to eat, but should be eaten very soon, or hard-boiled.” Floaters are past prime and should not be eaten.
Local eggs
If you are looking for local farm raised eggs, you can often find them at some of the Farmer’s markets (opening in May) and at Indigo Farm Market (usually). You might even find them at your neighbor’s house or in your own backyard, zoning permitting. If you are determined to raise your own chickens and avail yourself of personally produced eggs, you will want to check out http://www.scpoultry.org/ South Carolina Poultry Organization. They and our local Agricultural Extension Service office have the particulars of how to handle raising chickens for eggs. The extension service (source of advice on all things agricultural for homeowners as well as farmers) offered a March 15 class on backyard chicken care including housing them, nutrition and more.
This meeting will also introduce the 4-H program for raising chicks. If you missed that, contact one of the coordinators to find out when they are holding the next one. (Call 843-365-6715 ext. 126 or email llewis2@clemson.edu to register. For more specific information, please contact Lee Van Vlake, Area Livestock and Forages Agent, at 843-661-4800 ext. 0 or email at rii@clemson.edu.) You will need to check on county zoning and local homeowner’s association regulations before running out and buying a supply of baby chicks.
However, whether you “grow your own,” buy directly from a farmer, or simply use the freshest possible supermarket eggs, do consider the simplicity of adding an egg on top of an item you already cook — an Easter bonnet of sorts for your home cuisine.
Below are some recipes from the American Egg Board. You can also simply “add an egg” on top of your cutlets, in your soup, on top of lentils or hash to make those dishes more special. If adding an egg that will remain a bit runny when cooked is not for you, try my cheese soufflé recipe. It’s a more cooked option for adding a lot of eggs and is the go-to holiday dish for our family when we want to “eat light but festive.” Trust me, this one is easy to make.
Note: This article refers only to the use of chicken eggs. There are many other kinds of eggs, many such as duck eggs, also locally available, but the size, and in some cases, the taste, makes their use a specialty.
Egg in Hole
Courtesy of the American Egg Board
Ingredients
2 slices white or whole wheat break
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut out the center of each bread slice using a heart cutter or other shape. Reserve cut outs. Coat non-stick fry pan lightly with oil.
Toast bread slices and cut outs on one side in the skillet over medium low heat until golden, about five minutes. Turn over.
Break an egg and slowly slip an egg into the center of each slice. Cover the pan and cook slowly until the whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Five to six minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper and serve with the cut-outs on side.
Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs
24 servings
Courtesy of the American Egg Board
Even though I have many recipes for deviled eggs, I could not resist this one—I mean, bacon!
Ingredients
14 hard boiled eggs, peeled
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
¼ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (one ounce)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
Method
Cut each egg lengthwise and remove the yolks. Reserve 24 white halves and chop the remaining four.
Mash the yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and pepper and mix well, Add the chopped egg whites, bacon, cheese and chives. Mix well.
Spoon one heaping tablespoon of this mixture into each reserved egg white half, Refrigerate, covered to allow flavors to blend.
Tip from the Egg Board
Easy 12-Minute Method for Hard-Boiled Eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Heat over high heat just to boiling. Remove from burner. Cover pan. Let eggs stand in hot water for about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra large). Drain. Shock the eggs in a bowl of ice water to cool them immediately. Hard-boiled eggs are easiest to peel right after cooling.
Joan’s Herbed Cheese Soufflé
Trust me. The hardest parts of this recipe are making sure you have a soufflé dish and making the wax paper “collar.” Note: It is a good idea to set out all of the bowls you need and ingredients before starting at all—this one requires precision timing as you cook.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Ingredients
2 Tablespoon finely chopped shallots or green onions
6 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ c milk (any kind of fresh milk from whole to one percent—just not skim. If I use one percent
I sometimes up the butter by a tablespoon to give a little more butterfat.)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3-4 drops of Tabasco sauce
1 cup plus a bit more, grated Swiss cheese
6 eggs separated, plus at least one egg white extra, sometimes two of the whites are small
Herbs—dried are fine. If you use 1 Tablespoon of McCormick Italian herbs, then add a bit more tarragon anyway and a bit more marjoram too.
2 Tablespoons chopped Fresh parsley—
Method.
1. Prepare a six cup soufflé dish. I grease it and prepare a wax paper collar for it, placing that on the outside to hold the soufflé in as it rises in the oven. Masking tape works best.
2. Just a little tip—separate the eggs before you start anything else—put the extra white in the rest of the whites and put an extra egg aside in case you want to make it two extra whites. I usually throw the one or two extra yolks away because at the time I am making this I have too much else going on to deal with saving it/them.
3. Sauté the shallots or onions in the butter until tender; about three minutes. Use a medium saucepan so you will have room to do the rest of the sauce.
3. Stir in flour and salt, cook, stirring constantly until the mix bubbles.
4. Gradually stir in the milk (while still on heat)
5. Continue cooking until it bubbles again and let bubble for one minute.
6. Stir in the mustard and Tabasco, and add the cheese.
7. Remove immediately from the heat
8. Beat the egg yolks in their own bowl. Beat eggs into the cheese mixture and then add the dried herbs and parsley. Mix well.
9. Beat the egg whites until stiff (I usually add a bit of cream of tartar) Use a very large bowl since this is where you will combine the two mixes. When the whites are stiff fold the cheese mixture into the eggs whites and then put the entire mix in the prepared soufflé dish.
10. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
It will be lovely! Yes, it will sink a bit. Sometimes the center is somewhat runny, making a sauce for the more cooked parts.
This story was originally published March 8, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Adding an Egg."