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Egg Cookery
Egg Cookery
EGG COOKERY
Structure,
composition,
nutritive value,
selection
Storage
Uses
Methods of cooking eggs
Structure of the Egg
White 88 11
Yolk 48 17 33 1
Essential nutrients
Eggs are especially valuable as a source of
protein. In fact, egg protein is used as the
standard against which the quality of other
food proteins is measured. One egg contains
about 6 to 7 grams of protein. People of all
ages need adequate protein for building and
repairing body tissues.
Essential nutrients
The fat in the yolk is so finely emulsified that it is
digested easily, even by infants.
The ratio of unsaturated to saturated fats is about 2 to
1. This is considered very desirable. Eggs contain
vitamin A, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, and
niacin), and vitamin D.
Eggs also contain an abundant supply of minerals,
such as iron and phosphorus
Eggs are low in calcium (it is in the shell), and
contain little or no vitamin C.
freshness
Eggs are perishable and it's easy to lose track
of their expiration dates as they all look the
same in there little white shells.
Eggs will normally stay fresh for two weeks
after they are purchased if refrigerated
properly. Most refrigerators have egg holders,
Here are some ways to tell if your eggs are
fresh:
Freshness
Place eggs in a bowl of water. If the egg is
fresh, it will sink to the bottom and lie on its
side. An older egg will stand up on one end
and if the eggs are REALLY old, they may
even float.
An egg white that appears cloudy is a sign of a
fresh egg and egg whites that are thick are also
very fresh. Egg whites thin out as they age.
Freshness
Blood spots are occasionally found on an egg
yolk. Contrary to popular opinion, these tiny
spots do not indicate a fertilized egg. Rather,
they are caused by the rupture of a blood vessel
on the yolk surface during formation of the
egg. These eggs are fit to eat. The spot can be
removed with the tip of a knife, if you wish.
Nutrition
There are no nutritional differences between brown eggs and
white eggs.
Eggs are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D.
The egg yolk is the major source of the egg's vitamins and
minerals.
Nutrition
Protein is composed of 20 different amino
acids. There are 9 essential amino acids that
the body cannot make, and so they must come
from foods. Eggs are one of the few foods
considered to be a complete protein because
they provide all nine essential amino acids.
Cooking
Check the eggs after about 10 minutes baking time. When done,
the whites should be completely set and the yolks beginning to
thicken but not hard.
Methods of cooking: Meringues
Meringue recipes work better with eggs that are at least 3 or 4 days old.
Cold eggs separate more easily than those at room temperature because
the whites hold together better.
To separate an egg: Crack the egg and hold the shell halves over a bowl.
Transfer the yolk back and forth between the halves, letting the white drop
into the bowl. Do not cut the yolk (whites containing any yolk will not
beat properly). Transfer the yolk to another bowl.
The tiniest bit of fat or egg yolk will wreck a meringue.
When separating eggs, if a speck of egg yolk falls into the egg
whites, lift it out with an empty eggshell half. Do not try to
fish it out with your fingers; the oil on your skin will prevent
the egg whites from expanding.
Meringues
After separating, bring egg whites to room temperature to
ensure volume when beating, as warmer eggs whip faster than
cold eggs. Usually 30 minutes is adequate to obtain room
temperature.
Copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowls work best for making
meringues. Avoid using plastic bowls for whipping egg whites
as they can often harbor traces of grease, which prevents the
whites from getting stiff.
Make sure that all your utensils are immaculately clean,
completely grease-free, and completely dry. Avoid letting
your fingers touch the areas that will come in contact with
the egg whites.
Meringues
Place the egg whites into a large, tall bowl and set
your mixer to its highest speed and start making
bubbles!
Beating or whisking causes the protein in the egg
whites to unfold, forming films that trap the air
bubbles, and the sugar stiffens the foam. As the
mixing time increases, the bubbles become smaller
and more numerous; this increases the volume and
makes a more-stable structure. (A beaten egg white
can increase six to eight times its original volume
Methods of cooking: Poaching
The best eggs for poaching are the freshest eggs you
can find. If eggs are more than a week old, the whites
thin out. Whites of fresh eggs will gather compactly
around the yolk, making a rounder, neater shape. Use
cold eggs right out of the refrigerator.
Use a pan that is at least 3 inches deep so there is
enough water to cover the eggs and they do not stick
to the bottom of the pan. To prevent sticking, grease
the pan with a little oil before filling with water.
Bring the poaching liquid to a boil and then reduce to
a simmer before adding the eggs (bubbles should not
break the surface).
Poached Eggs
Break each egg onto a saucer or into small cups or
bowls. Slip eggs carefully into simmering water by
lowering the lip of each egg cup 1/2-inch below the
surface of the water. Let the eggs flow out.
Immediately cover with a lid and turn off the heat.
Cook 3 to 5 minutes, depending on firmness desired.
Remove from water with slotted spoon. Lift each
perfectly poached egg from the water with a slotted
spoon, but hold it over the skillet briefly to let any
water clinging to the egg drain off.
Drain well before serving.
Methods of cooking
The secret to successfully scrambling eggs is
slow cooking. A rubber spatula does a good
job of moving the eggs. Don't worry about
melting the rubber - the heat is (or should be)
too low to damage it.
Scrambled eggs
Always remove scrambled eggs from the heat
when they are almost set but still appear shiny
and a bit underdone. If it is necessary to hold
scrambled eggs for a short time before serving,
it helps to avoid direct heat. Place a pan of hot
water between the pan of eggs and the heat
source.
Scrambled eggs
Tip: After removing the pan with the
scrambled eggs from the heat, add a teaspoon
of cold light cream of milk for each four eggs
and stir fast for a second. This is to stop the
cooking, which would otherwise continue for a
few minutes by the internal heat retained by
the eggs. Without this last step, the eggs would
be overcooked and dry.
Scrambled eggs
Microwave: In a custard cup, beat together
eggs, milk, and salt and pepper (if desired).
Cook on full power, stirring one or twice, 1 to
1 1/2 minutes or until almost set.
Scrambled Eggs Turning Green