HANDY TIPS ON EGGS - Food Lovers Recipes

egg tips

HANDY TIPS ON EGGS

These handy tips will help you make the most of your cooking eggs-perience!
Hard Cooking
Whipping
Storing Egg Yolks
Utensils
Recipes
How to cook…
Older eggs peel more easily than fresh eggs. Use eggs 1 week old or more for hard cooking.
To hard cook, place cold eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of cold water over the top of the eggs. Cover saucepan and bring quickly to the boil over high heat. Immediately remove pan from heat to stop boiling. Let eggs stand in water for 18 to 23 minutes. Drain water and immediately run cold water over eggs until cooled. This helps to prevent a dark or greenish ring from forming around the yolk. Remove egg from shell.
Add food colouring to the water when you hard cook eggs; then you can tell the cooked from the raw.
Cut a thin slice off the bottom of a hard cooked egg so that it does not tip over on the serving plate.
If you have extra hard cooked whites, fill them with salsa or other dips…they make great little dip containers. Hard cooked eggs will slice easier if you dip the knife in water before cutting.
When hard cooking eggs, if the egg cracks, remove it and rub salt into the crack, then replace and continue cooking.
To tell if an egg is raw or hard cooked, spin it. If the egg spins easily, it’s hard cooked but if it wobbles, it’s raw.
The quickest and easiest way to get egg whites is to buy Naturegg Simply Egg Whites.
An easy way to separate eggs is to place a small funnel over a small measuring cup. Break the eggs into the funnel.
Or use an egg separator, a handy device that can be purchased in any cookware store.
Egg yolks separate best when cold.
When beating egg whites, add a teaspoon of cold water for each egg. The volume increases significantly.
Add cream of tartar to the egg whites before beating to stabilize the foam. About 1/8 teaspoon to two egg whites.
Room temperature whites are easier to whip and achieve greater volume. If your whites are refrigerator cold (best for separating), you can warm the whites in the microwave. Place in a bowl and microwave uncovered for about 30 seconds at 30 percent power. Another option would be to hold the eggs, before cracking, under a stream of warm water to take off the chill.
When whipping eggs, start with a low speed and then gradually work up to the whip setting on the mixer. The lower speed stretches the protein molecules and makes the mixture more readily accept air.
When adding sugar to egg whites begin after the whites are foamy and then add 1 tablespoon at a time, beating as you slowly sprinkle the sugar in.
Check to be sure that sugar is dissolved by rubbing a bit of beaten white between your thumb and forefinger. It should feel smooth.
“Soft peaks”: are mountains of white that come up as you lift the beater up and then fold over at the tips.
“Stiff peaks” are mountains whose peaks remain upright after you lift the beaters away.
If you over beat egg whites and they’re too stiff, gently stir in 1 or 2 unbeaten whites to every 5 or 6 whites or add a few teaspoons of sugar and beat again briefly until they are smooth.
When storing egg yolks in the refrigerator, place them in a bowl, cover them with water and then plastic wrap.
To freeze egg yolks, add 1/8-teaspoon salt or 1 ½ teaspoons sugar or corn syrup to every ¼ cup of eggs.
Pans and dishes used for mixing, beating or cooking eggs should be rinsed with cold water and then washed with hot soapy water. If you run hot water on the eggs, it will cook them and make them harder to remove.
When a size is not specified assume it means Large. Most recipes are written this way.
Fried Eggs
Heat a non-stick skillet (or a regular skillet greased with a small amount of butter, margarine or cooking oil) at medium heat. Break eggs and gently slip into skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cook to desired doneness, turning eggs gently to cook both sides or adding a small amount of water and covering with lid to cook tops of eggs. Season with salt and pepper.
Poached Eggs
Pour 3 inches (8 cm) of water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Break eggs, one at a time, into a dish and gently slip into water. Cook in simmering water for 3 to 5 minutes until as done as you like. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain well. Season with salt and pepper.
Eggs in the Shell
Place cold eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the eggs by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat. For soft-cooked eggs, let eggs stand in the hot water for 3 to 5 minutes, then run cold water over eggs to stop the cooking. For hard-cooked eggs, let eggs stand in the hot water for 20 to 25 minutes, then run cold water over eggs to stop the cooking. For easier peeling of hard-cooked eggs, tap the egg shell all over with a spoon to crack it, roll the shell between your hands to loosen it and start peeling from the large end. Hold the egg under running water or dip it in a bowl of water to help ease off the shell. Use eggs that have been in the fridge a few days rather than those you’ve just purchased for hard-cooking so they will be easier to peel.
Scrambled Eggs
Heat a non-stick skillet (or a regular skillet greased with a small amount of butter, margarine or cooking oil) at medium heat. For one serving, beat 2 eggs, 2 tbsp. (30 mL) milk, salt and pepper (to taste) together in a bowl until well combined. Pour into skillet and immediately reduce heat to medium-low. As mixture begins to set, stir eggs from sides to centre of skillet. Cook, stirring gently, until set but still moist.
Baked Eggs
Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). For each serving, lightly butter an individual baking dish or custard cup. Break 2 eggs into each dish. Season with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 16 to 22 minutes, until yolks reach desired doneness. Chopped cooked meat, diced vegetables or grated cheese can be placed in the dishes before adding the eggs.
Microwaved Eggs
Place 1/2 tsp. (2 mL) butter or margarine in a small bowl, custard cup or coffee mug. Microwave at high power for 15 seconds until melted. Swirl to coat inside of bowl or cup. Break an egg into bowl, pierce yolk with a toothpick or tip of a knife. Season with salt and pepper. Cover top of bowl with plastic wrap, turning back one edge to allow steam to escape. Microwave at medium-high power for 45 seconds to 1 minute until cooked to desired doneness. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes, then remove plastic wrap.