The Ways of the Egg

[Menolly]

No wonder why the 100 folds of a chef's toque represent the mastery of the number of ways said chef can prepare eggs...

I put three eggs into gently simmering water for six minutes, all at one time. When I removed them, one egg's whites were still runny, another egg's yolk was just a tad too cooked and was solid around the edges, and the last came out perfect.

...geez...

[I'm Murrin]

I'm trying to hard-boil eggs right now. First I tried putting two in a pan with cold water, bringing it to boil, then reducing the heat and leaving for a while. For some reason, though--I suspect the fault of our electric hob--the water never really boiled. When I took them out, the egg whites were still runny. I tried again, this time boiling water in a kettle, putting it in a pan, then adding the eggs, but I cracked the eggs dropping them in. So far it doesn't seem to have gone too badly, but I'm not sure how long to leave them cooking.

edit--okay, they seem to be cooked. I'll see what happens when I try to eat them, heh.

[Menolly]

Hard cooked eggs I have no problems with, although sometimes they like to give me problems peeling. I do like you do the first way, making sure the water does come to the boil briefly. Then I turn off the heat and allow them to sit for 12 minutes. Drop into an ice bath for three to five minutes, and peel under running tap water.

[I'm Murrin]

Mmm, boiled egg sandwich.

(I have no idea how, but the second pair came out fine. Bear in mind I think this is only the second time I've tried to boil eggs myself, heh.)

[Menolly]

I love egg salad, and love to put a chopped hard cooked egg into tuna salad, so I do it pretty often.

[dlbpharmd]

Man, there's only one way to cook eggs, and that's
a) crack 'em open
b) throw 'em in a skillet (or frying pan if you're all snooty about it.) Skillet should have fresh bacon or sausage grease, maybe even with little small chunks spattering everywhere
c) fry the hell out of 'em for about a minute. Mix in all the small chunks
d) flip 'em over, fry 'em for about 15-20 seconds
3) throw 'em on a plate.

Eggs over medium, baby!

[Sunbaneglasses]

It's a skillet at my house too, or a pone, and you've got to have grits.

[bloodguard bob]

How to Boil an Egg -by Bloodguard Bob

1.Take your eggs out of the fridge and let them come up to room temp.
2.Boil water, do not add salt.
3.Take water off heat and add room temperature eggs ,then return to heat.
4.Start timer when water bigins to boil again and boil eggs exactly 10 minutes.
5.Drain water and run cold water over eggs to halt cooking.
6. Peel by cracking egg on counter and rolling it, shell will come off in two pieces. Put it back into cold water to wash off bits of shell.
*Putting eggs in cold water then heating the water causes the shell to stick to the egg. Putting cold eggs into hot water causes the shell to crack.

[Menolly]

Man, there's only one way to cook eggs,

Say what? No omlettes, no frittata, no quich, no souffle, no mousse, no eggnog, no meringue (now admit it, you got my meringue on my key lime pies down didn't you, despite your misgivings), no hollandaise sauce... I could go on and on and on. There is definitely more than one way to cook an egg.

Hmmph...

How to Boil an Egg -by Bloodguard Bob

1.Take your eggs out of the fridge and let them come up to room temp.
2.Boil water, do not add salt.
3.Take water off heat and add room temperature eggs ,then return to heat.
4.Start timer when water bigins to boil again and boil eggs exactly 10 minutes.
5.Drain water and run cold water over eggs to halt cooking.
6. Peel by cracking egg on counter and rolling it, shell will come off in two pieces. Put it back into cold water to wash off bits of shell.
*Putting eggs in cold water then heating the water causes the shell to stick to the egg. Putting cold eggs into hot water causes the shell to crack.

Thank you, BGB! This is the problem I consistently have, and I have asked many times on various foodie forums for advice. I've been told may solutions, from sticking them into the freezer for 15 mintues after cooling them under cold tap water to putting distilled white vinegar in the water. None of them worked all of the time. This is the first time anyone has told me the above. I will definitely give that method a try.

[Avatar]

I only eat egg yolks. Strange I know, but there you go. I hate the albumen.

As for fried, I totally go with dlb's method, except I like 'em sunny-side up. (And you have to let your pan cool after frying the bacon. Gotta fry the eggs on a low temperature, otherwise the underside goes all hard.

--A

[bloodguard bob]

If not in a samich, I eat my eggs the same evertime: two eggs poached soft over buttered english muffins or grits. Mmmm...runny!

[dlbpharmd]

Say what? No omlettes, no frittata, no quich, no souffle, no mousse, no eggnog, no meringue (now admit it, you got my meringue on my key lime pies down didn't you, despite your misgivings), no hollandaise sauce... I could go on and on and on. There is definitely more than one way to cook an egg.

Hmmph...

You know what I meant......

[DukkhaWaynhim]

My favorite low-carb breakfast is a quick 2-egg omelet:

2 eggs whisked within an inch of their lives, then added to a preheated nonstick pan with just a bit of butter (~ 1/2 T). I sprinkle some Mrs Dash into the pan at this point.
Leave 'em alone for longer than you think wise, popping the big bubble that forms, and ignoring the compulsion to fuss - note that the bit of butter allows the omelet to 'float' while it is cooking.
I add a half-slice of colby-jack or a few pinches of shredded cheddar, and bacon pieces, then fold in half and wait for the cheese to melt.

For me, it's best when there is just the slightest bit of brown on the skillet-side of the omelet.

Good breakfast, especially washed down with (literally) a shot of OJ.

dw

[Menolly]

Say what? No omlettes, no frittata, no quich, no souffle, no mousse, no eggnog, no meringue (now admit it, you got my meringue on my key lime pies down didn't you, despite your misgivings), no hollandaise sauce... I could go on and on and on. There is definitely more than one way to cook an egg.

Hmmph...

You know what I meant......

:::love ya, dlb!!:::

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

I wanted soft-boiled eggs for lunch today, but did not have time to cook and peel them. *sigh*

I use a soup ladel to gently lay my eggs in the water after it gets hot - no cracked shells that way.

Does anybody know how to make egg drop soup? I love it and I'd like to try and make it one day.

[Menolly]

I use a soup ladel to gently lay my eggs in the water after it gets hot - no cracked shells that way.

Does anybody know how to make egg drop soup? I love it and I'd like to try and make it one day.

Bring stock to a simmer. Whip a whole egg. Gently stir simmering stock so it's swirling and slowly trickle whipped egg into hot stock. Once all is poured in, use chop sticks or forks to break the cooked egg threads apart. Serve and enjoy.

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

Oh, hey, that's way easier than I thought. Thanks! You think vegetable stock would work? I kinda broke down and went vegetarian (well, except for the fish - can't give up my fish).

[Menolly]

Vegetable stock will work fine, especially the "no-chicken" flavor stocks that mimic chicken.

Remember, bring the soup to a boil than turn down to a bare simmer before swirling and slowly trickling in the whipped egg.

Enjoy!

[Wyldewode]

Interesting omelet, DW. My Mom taught me how to make them a bit differently. We always chop up some onions and green peppers, and if we have some leftover ham we cube it and toss it with the veggies. That mixture is then sauted in butter in the omelet pan (Mom has one that is divided in two, and hinged). When the veggies are limp, take 2-3 eggs and whip them with a whisk, adding 1 TB or so of water or milk and salt and pepper to taste. Pour eggs over veggies and cook over medium-low heat, lifting the edge to let uncooked egg run under. Next, fill with cheese, and flip other side of omelet over cheese. Slide onto plate, and top with more cheese.

When my Mom would make omelets, she would make a 3 egg one, and be generous with the filling. She'd cut the omelet in three, and with some hash browns and muffins it would be breakfast for three.

[aliantha]

I used to do that for supper -- make a big omelet and cut it in chunks for each of us. I think I used six eggs for four of us.

I would also vary the spices in the eggs, depending on the type of cheese I was using. Oregano and cumin with Mexican-blend cheese and (well-drained) salsa; dill and minced onion with, like, havarti; and so on. One time I tried making an omelet with cream cheese, and put poppyseed in the eggs. It was only okay. (Hey, I'm Czech. We'll put poppyseed in *anything*.)