Unscrambling the Egg
Which came first, the chicken or the egg,
asks the ancient and proverbial question. Men have pondered this
seemingly simplistic, yet intriguingly paradoxical query for time
immemorial. Why? Because the real answer is neither, (assuming that
“egg” refers only to chicken eggs). Chickens evolved from more
primitive birds whose ancestral lineage emanates from the dinosaurs.
There is no specific point in time hallmarked by the first chicken but
rather a gradual evolution of wild fowl culminating with the modern
chicken.
The egg
is a complex, biological powerhouse of nutrients with innumerable
culinary uses. One large egg contains 70 calories, 6 grams of protein,
5 grams of fat, (of which only 1.6 grams are saturated), and at least 14
vitamins and minerals. Most of the nutrients and 45% of the protein are
in the yolk. The white contains mostly protein. Egg protein is one of
the highest quality proteins on the planet, second only to breast milk.
And while one large egg contains 213 mg. of cholesterol, it is saturated
fat consumption that is more related to serum cholesterol levels than
actual cholesterol consumption itself. Thus, with only 1.6 grams of
saturated fat, eggs are not as unhealthy for your heart as generally
supposed.
Fast
Facts:
1) Eggs
are graded, in descending order, AA, A, and B. Grades are based on
quality which is influenced by the egg’s freshness. Grade A is the most
common grade found in supermarkets.
2)
Brown eggs are no different than white eggs in terms of taste or
nutrition. They merely signify a different breed of hen.
3)
Store eggs in their carton. Eggshells are porous and absorb surrounding
odors inside your fridge.
4) It
is easier to separate the yolk from the white with a cold egg.
5) To
whip egg whites to maximal volume, start with room temperature whites,
ensure there is no yolk in them, and use a copper bowl. Copper bowls
produce the most stable and voluminous whipped egg whites because of the
interaction between copper ions and proteins.
6) To
determine the freshness of an egg submerge it in water. Eggs have an
air pocket that grows with time. Fresh eggs will lay flat on their side
in water. As they age the one end will start to rise. If your egg
floats, don’t eat it.
7) For
scrambled eggs, heating the pan before adding the eggs will reduce
sticking.
8) Egg
whites lose their integrity with age. Thus, fresh eggs are best for
poaching since the white will disperse less. Adding vinegar and/or salt
to the water will further reduce its diffusion.
9)
Older eggs are best for hard-cooked eggs. (Culinary professionals avoid
the term hard-boiled since the eggs are not actually boiled). The
higher pH of older eggs allows the shells to peel easier. Thus, don’t
add vinegar to the water for hard-cooked eggs. Over cooking causes
greenish blemishes, the result of a reaction from the iron in the yolk
with the sulfur in the white. For perfectly hard-cooked eggs, warm the
eggs in hot tap water. This reduces the chance of them cracking. Then
place them in cold water and bring to a boil. The instant it boils
remove them from the heat and allow them to steep, covered, for 12-13
minutes. Then submerge in cold water to stop the cooking.
Tired
of the usual methods for preparing eggs? Try a frittata, i.e., an
Italian omelet. Unlike a French omelet where the egg is folded over the
ingredients, the ingredients are actually mixed into the eggs. This
recipe comes from Lynne Kaplan, a chef who owns the Victoria House Bed &
Breakfast in Spring Lake, NJ. For a gourmet B&B check them out at
victoriahouse.net.
8 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
salt/pepper to taste
1 portobello mushroom, stem removed, sliced 1/4" thick
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 pound prosciutto, diced
2 plum tomatoes, diced, seeds removed
2 teaspoons chopped basil
1 teaspoons chopped oregano
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Vigorously whisk the eggs,
sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper and set aside. Sauté the mushroom in
two tablespoons of olive oil until browned and set aside. In a 10",
non-stick, oven proof skillet, sweat the onions in two tablespoons of
olive oil until softened but not brown. Add the ham and sauté two
minutes. Arrange mushrooms on top on ham/onion mixture and then
sprinkle with chopped tomatoes. Stir herbs into the egg mixture and
pour it over everything in the pan. Cook on top of stove slowly, lifting
the edges to let uncooked egg run under. Do not brown the bottom. When
almost set, sprinkle on the cheese and place in oven until cheese melts
and browns slightly. Remove from oven. Loosen around the edges and slide
onto a serving platter. Serves 6-8.
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