The good egg

Posted 8/21/12

An egg is quiet perfection. Elegant in form, its smooth shell breaks open to offer the yin-yang of golden yolk and airy white. That yolk serves to thicken and enrich, while the white, when whipped, …

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The good egg

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An egg is quiet perfection. Elegant in form, its smooth shell breaks open to offer the yin-yang of golden yolk and airy white. That yolk serves to thicken and enrich, while the white, when whipped, adds volume and lightness. Together and separated, these allied elements lend themselves to a seemingly infinite array of preparations, from lofty drifts of shining meringue to velvety dollops of lemon curd, from the crisp, lacy edges of an egg fried in olive oil to the cool, spongy sweetness of a Japanese omelet.

Though versatile enough to be eaten every day, eggs unfortunately fell prey to the fat police of the ’90s and cholesterol-rich yolks were mistakenly vilified. It’s now been repeatedly shown that dietary cholesterol raises only the good HDL, so there’s really no excuse for those flavorless whites-only breakfasts. The yolk contains most of an egg’s calcium, minerals and vitamins, and its fat content is necessary for the body to absorb them. Whenever possible, choose eggs from chickens that have eaten many kinds of grass and insects. Compared to factory eggs, this free-range variety with the deep-orange yolk has less cholesterol and saturated fat and double the desirable omega-3 fatty acids.

It’s hard to ruin an egg (though burnt and rubbery are two dreaded possibilities), but a few simple techniques can really enhance your repertoire. Try scrambling eggs like a French chef, whisking them continuously over low heat until they achieve a cloudlike texture reminiscent of soft polenta. Learn the basic steps of making a custard—including tempering, which prevents the eggs from curdling—and you’re well on your way to ice cream, quiche and flan, and halfway to a soufflé. And once you’ve mastered the craft of boiling an egg, deviled eggs and asparagus mimosa (grated hard-cooked egg) are a breeze. There are tricks to getting the yolks to come out exactly as you want them—from runny to tender to firm—and to avoiding the inevitable frustration of the shell sticking to the whites, and I’ll share them with you below.

Eggs are a wonderful meal any time of day, even if you’re not an advocate of “breakfast for dinner.” Aside from the more obvious pairings—bread, bacon, potatoes, cheese—eggs are delicious with savory flavors like anchovies, tomatoes and curry (not necessarily all at once). Shakshuka, an Israeli dish of eggs cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, is quick, easy and satisfying. It makes an ideal singleton supper but will also feed a crowd, yet another reason to buy your eggs by the dozen.

Shakshuka

Serves 1

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1½ cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with juice

¼ cup water

Pinch sugar

2 farm-fresh eggs

2 tablespoons crumbled feta

1 tablespoon chopped parsley and/or cilantro

Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add jalapeño, shallot and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, until soft and lightly brown. Add spices and cook another couple of minutes. Crush tomatoes in their liquid and add to skillet along with 1/4 cup water and pinch of sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

Crack eggs and gently deposit on surface of sauce. Cover skillet and cook for a minute, until whites are just set, then baste the whites with the tomato sauce, being careful not to disturb the yolk. Cover and cook again, until yolks are to your liking, probably about 3 minutes, unless you want them either very runny or very firm. Sprinkle shakshuka with feta and green herbs. Eat accompanied by warm pita bread.

The Perfect Boiled Egg

Start with large eggs at room temperature. If your eggs are cold, set them in a bowl of lukewarm water until they no longer feel cold to the touch. 


Fill a pot with plenty of water and bring it to a full rolling boil. Add two fat pinches of salt. Using a spoon or spider, gently lower eggs into the water. Set your timer for 6 minutes for a molten yolk, 8 minutes for a tender yolk, or 10 minutes for a firm yolk.

While the eggs cook, prepare an ice bath by combining plenty of ice with cold water in a large bowl. When the timer goes off, immediately remove eggs from the hot water and place them in the ice bath. When they’re cool enough to handle, crack the eggs by rolling them on a hard surface, then peel.

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