For ages we were told to eat fewer eggs. Now the hens have communicated new findings to the egg marketing people and other food experts and once again we are told to enjoy the clutch of eggs that for so long many were denied the pleasure of eating.
Nothing is worse than rubbery eggs or eggs with lacy brown crispy edges that were not watched carefully during preparation. Eggs are delicate, gentle things that require respect and careful preparation to be presented in their Sunday best at all times.
So, be extra careful next time you cook an egg, no matter which method is your favourite.
Perfect soft-boiled eggs
Place two large eggs in cold water. Sprinkle in a little salt. Turn the heat on high and bring just to a boil, uncovered. Watch closely. Timing matters. Immediately turn off the heat, cover the pot and let sit for exactly six minutes. If you like the eggs a little bit firm but not hard cooked, time for seven minutes only. Solid, hard cooked will take 10 minutes.
WATCH THE CLOCK! Just briefly, run cold running water over the eggs while they are still in the pot and cut the top third off the shell with a flick of the wrist using a regular knife. Scoop out the soft-boiled egg into your favourite serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Enjoy with freshly made toast, coated with real butter.
Perfect texture every time. So good!
Baby eggs
Whisk together in a stainless steel bowl (or baked enamel) one dozen eggs and a cup of milk or cereal cream. Put the bowl over a pot of hot (simmering) water. (Bain Marie) Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
Stir gently with a whisk; add salt and pepper and presto – the most delightful (scrambled) egg dish you have ever eaten. These eggs retain their beautiful yellow colour and the liquid stays put.
Serve immediately with toast and a beverage. Try breakfast in the garden or out on the balcony for a pleasant variation of the first meal of the day.
Scottish eggs (really scotched eggs, nothing Scottish about them)
There are many versions of this tasty dish, including one made with soft-boiled eggs. When sliced the yolk is meant to run over the meat in that version.
In still other versions, cooks do up the ground meat themselves using pork or mixtures of meats and add Scotch whiskey or other spirits to the meat for flavour. The alcohol cooks off, just leaving the flavour. Try different recipes and see which ones you prefer.
Here is one I developed, using what I called Wallywurst. We traveled to a nearby town to buy a favourite German sausage. The butcher’s name was Wally. Thus, Wallywurst.
Hard cook medium large eggs by bringing the water to a boil, adding eggs, gently using a slotted spoon and then turn heat down so that the water just barely boils. Sprinkle eggs with salt and cook for 5-6 minutes. Eggs should be just barely hard cooked, not dried out. Remove from heat and immediately run under cold water. They will be much easier to peel if you do so promptly. This is just one of many methods of preparing hard-cooking eggs.
Buy your favourite German bratwurst or Italian sausage. Remove raw meat from its casing. Put a little oil on your hands and on your working area so the meat won’t stick.
Form large, flat patties. Roll each patty around one whole cooked (shell removed) egg, being certain the egg is covered completely. Seal carefully. Dip in beaten egg and roll in coarse, generously seasoned breadcrumbs. I used dried sage, rosemary and thyme.
Deep fry in corn oil at 350 F. Careful that the Scottish eggs are just cooked, not overdone. Place on paper towels. Cut in half crosswise, rather than lengthwise when they are cool enough to touch, using a wet serrated knife. Serve immediately. They can be served cold, sliced on toasted or grilled bread rounds as well. Some people like a little course grainy mustard on the side. This is great picnic food, but be certain to store it in a cooler travel pack.
A nice treat served as a side dish with my gazpacho recipe (packs up nicely for a picnic basket also) and slices of fresh homemade bread, with real butter of course.
The working title for Carolyne’s Gourmet Recipes cookbook is From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen: A Canadian Contessa Cooks. This kitchen-friendly doyenne has been honoured and referred to as the grande dame of executive real estate in her market area during her 35-year career. She taught gourmet cooking in the mid-70s and wrote a weekly newspaper cooking column, long before gourmet was popular as it is today. Her ebook, Gourmet Cooking – at Home with Carolyne is available here for $5.99 US. Email Carolyne. Scroll down to the comments at each recipe column. Carolyne often adds complimentary “From Lady Ralston’s Kitchen” additional recipes in the Recipes for Realtors Comments section at REM.
