Tuesday, August 18, 2009

How To Use Dairy Produce: Part 3 - Eggs

By Owen Jones

The Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Products.

EGGS: Part 1

Eggs can be fresh or dried, the latter being only chickens' eggs without the shell and water. Dried egg should be stored in a cool, dry place - do not put it fridge! Store eggs for a few days or a week in a cool place away from strong-smelling foods. An egg stand is ideal for this purpose. If the eggs are dirty, wipe them clean - washing will remove the natural oils which help to preserve the eggs.

Pickled Eggs: eggs laid in the Spring keep longer than those laid in the other seasons. Eggs that can not be cleaned-up, must be refused. Waterglass or the other special preparations should be used. If an egg floats to the surface, use it at once. Try to maintain the room temperature around 2-8 C and they should remain edible for 6 to 9 months.

Preparing Eggs for Cooking: break each egg into a cup on its own, before adding it to the other ingredients to ensure that it is still fresh. If you wish to separate the white from the yolk, tip the contents of the egg back and forth between the two egg shell halves and the albumen (white) will separate from the yolk. Beat the eggs with a whisk or a fork in an appropriate bowl. Egg whites should be whipped with a knife on a plate - a tiny amount of of salt will help.

Raw eggs used to be prescribed for invalids as they are easily digestible, but this not recommended these days due to the ubiquity of salmonella and other diseases. One method, retold here for the curious was to strain a beaten egg into a mug and slowly add a cup of hot milk (or tea, coffee or lemon water; add sugar to taste. Sherry was often added too.

Cooking Eggs: eggs should be cooked very slowly because the albumen cooks at a temperature which is lower than that of boiling water and becomes 'tough' at higher temperatures. By the same token, if you use raw egg to thicken a sauce and the liquid is allowed to boil, the sauce will 'curdle', i.e. the egg will solidify into small specks, spoiling its texture.

Coddling: produces easily digestible egg-whites, making it an ideal method for invalids and children. Lower eggs into 75mm boiling water; place lid and remove from heat. Stand for: 7 mins for medium-, 5 mins for soft- and 20 mins for hard-boiled eggs .

Boiling: lower fresh eggs gently into 75mm boiling water with a spoon. Cover and boil gently for 3-3" mins for soft-, 4-5 mins medium- and 10 mins hard-boiled eggs.

Place the eggs in eggcups: tap the shell to crack it, pemitting the steam to escape and so preventing further cooking. For sandwiches, salads etc: boil egg for 12 mins and plunge into cold water. This enables the shell to be easily removed and discourages a black ring around the yolk.

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