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For the moment, the egg is not on the top of some folks' grocery lists due to a salmonella outbreak. But as time passes, so will the problems.
The egg really can be viewed as three separate foods -- the whole egg, the white and the yolk, each with its own distinct nutritional profile.
The whole egg is a high-fat, high-cholesterol, high-quality protein food packaged in a high-calcium shell. The proteins in eggs are 99 percent digestible according to the standards used to judge protein.
The egg white is a high-protein, low-fat food with virtually no cholesterol. Its important vitamin is riboflavin (vitamin B2).
The egg yolk is a high-fat, high-cholesterol, high-protein food. It's a good source of vitamin A, derived from carotenes eaten by the hen.
When purchasing eggs, look for ones that fit your needs. Eggs are graded by the size of the yolk and the thickness of the white. The higher the grade, the thicker the yolk and the white will be when you cook it. A Grade AA egg fried sunny side up will look much more attractive than a Grade B egg prepared the same way, but both will be equally nutritious. Egg sizes are determined by how much the eggs weigh per dozen. The color of the egg's shell depends on the breed of the hen that laid the egg and has nothing to do with the egg's food value.
There is a test to determine the freshness of eggs. The freshest eggs are the ones that sink and lie flat on their sides when submerged in cool water. These eggs can be used for any dish. By the time an egg is a week old, the air-pocket inside will have expanded so that the broad end tilts up as the egg is submerged.
Eggs should always be cooked at a low temperature, never allowed to reach the boiling point. The white begins to coagulate at 134 degrees and if allowed to become too hot it will be tough and difficult to digest. The curdling of mixtures containing egg is often due to overcooking.
There are many ways to enjoy eggs. Here are a few:
SOFT-COOKED EGGS
Put eggs in boiling water, remove from stove and let stand for 4 to 8 minutes, depending upon the consistency desired.
HARD-COOKED EGGS
Put eggs in cold water, bring to the boiling point, remove from the stove and allow to stand about 20 minutes. To remove the shells easily, crack and hold under cold water.
POACHED EGGS
Boil salted water in a frying pan. Break eggs one at a time onto a saucer and then carefully slip the egg into the water. Keep the water just under the boiling point and cook until the white is set. If the water does not cover the yolk, drip water gently over it to coagulate the film of white. Remove the eggs with a skimmer onto slices of buttered toast.
FRIED EGGS
Heat butter or other cooking fat until moderately hot and slip eggs into it, breaking one at a time. Dip some of the fat frequently over the eggs so that the top as well as the bottom will be well cooked. For eggs fried on both sides, turn them carefully when the white has coagulated. Do not let the fat become overheated. Covering the pan while the eggs are cooking helps cook the yolk.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
Beat eggs slightly in a bowl to mix yolk and white. Add from one to three tablespoons of milk to each egg, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn into a frying pan, in which just enough butter or other cooking fat is melted to grease it thoroughly. Cook slowly until thickened, scraping the mixture frequently from the bottom of the pan so that it will cook evenly.
BAKED EGGS
Break eggs into individual ramekins or a larger shallow baking dish. Pour 1 tablespoon of cream or rich milk for each egg, or dot with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 325 degrees until white is set.
DEVILED EGGS
While hard-cooked eggs still are hot, peel them, cut in halves, either lengthwise or crosswise, and remove the yolks. Mash the yolks and season highly with salt, pepper, salad dressing or butter and vinegar. Chopped parsley, onion juice, deviled ham or other seasonings may also be used. Refill the whites with the yolk mixture and serve cold.
Port Royal resident Ervena Faulkner is a retired educator who has always had an interest in food and nutrition. E-mail her at features@beaufortgazette.com.
RECIPES
Basil and Tomato Frittata
10 eggs
1⁄2 cup milk
3⁄4 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, chopped
1⁄3 cup fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Beat eggs and add other ingredients. Pour into a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick vegetable spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until done.
Eggs a la Goldenrod
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
Parsley
4 hard-cooked eggs
5 slices toast
Make thin white sauce with butter, flour, milk and seasonings. Separate yolks from whites of eggs. Chop whites fine and add them to the sauce. Cut four slices of toast in half lengthwise and pour sauce over them. Force the egg yolks through strainer or potato ricer, letting them fall upon the sauce, making a mound of yellow. Garnish with parsley and remaining toast, cut into points.
