SIMPLE
EGG PREPARATIONS
https://youtu.be/QrBJBfEGZ94
Video for egg preparations
Procedures for Simmering Eggs in the Shell
Method 1
1. Collect equipment and food items.
2. Bring eggs to room temperature by (a) removing
them from cooler 1 hour before cooking, or (b) placing them in warm water for 5
minutes and draining. Cold eggs are more likely to crack when placed in boiling
water.
3. Place eggs in boiling water and return the water
to a simmer.
4. Simmer, do not boil, for the required time:
Soft-cooked 3 to 4 minutes
Medium-cooked 5 to 7 minutes
Hard-cooked 12 to 15 minutes
Exact cooking time depends on temperature of eggs,
size of eggs, and amount of water used.
5. Drain immediately and cool under cold running
water to stop the cooking. Cool just a few seconds if eggs are to be served
hot. Cool further if they are to be held for later use.
6. To peel, crack the shell and pull it away,
starting at the large end (where the air sac is located). For easier peeling,
peel while still warm, and hold under running water to help loosen shell. Very
fresh eggs are hard to peel. Eggs for cooking in the shell should be several
days old.
Method 2
1. Collect equipment and food items.
2. Place eggs in saucepan and cover with cold water.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for the required time:
Soft-cooked 1 minute
Medium-cooked 3 to 5 minutes
Hard-cooked 9 to 10 min
Procedure for Poaching Eggs
1. Collect equipment and food items.
2. Use the freshest Grade AA eggs whenever possible
for best results. These maintain their shape best because the yolks and whites
are firm.
3. If eggs are not very fresh, add 1 teaspoon salt
and 2 teaspoons distilled vinegar per quart of water (5 mL salt and 10 mL
vinegar per liter). The vinegar helps coagulate the egg white faster so it
keeps a better shape.
Vinegar is not necessary if very fresh eggs are
used. Omit in this case because whites will be tougher and not as shiny if
cooked with vinegar.
4. Bring water to a simmer.
If water is boiling, eggs will toughen and may be
broken up by the agitation.
If water is not hot enough, eggs will not cook
quickly enough and will spread.
5. Break eggs, one at a time, into a dish or a small
plate and slide into the simmering water. Eggs will hold their shape better if
they slide in against the edge of the pan.
6. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, until whites are
coagulated but yolks are still soft.
7. Remove eggs from pan with slotted spoon or
skimmer.
8. To serve immediately, drain very well. For better
appearance, trim off ragged edges.
9. To hold for later service, plunge immediately
into cold water to stop the cooking. At service time, reheat briefly in hot
water.
Procedure for Frying Eggs to Order
1. Collect all equipment and food items. Eggs may be
fried in small, individual sauté pans (omelet pans) or on the griddle. Griddled
eggs are not as attractive because they tend to spread more.
2. Select very fresh Grade AA eggs for best results.
3. Add about 1⁄8 inch (2 mm) fat to the sauté pan
and set it over moderate heat, or preheat the griddle to 325°F (165°C) and
ladle on a small quantity of fat.
Too much fat will make the eggs greasy. Not enough
will cause them to stick, unless a pan with a non stick coating is used.
4. Break the eggs into a dish. This lessens the
chance of breaking the yolks.
5. when the fat is hot enough so a drop of water
sizzles when dropped into it, slide the eggs into 8 If the fat is not hot enough, the eggs will spread too much and may
stick. If it is too hot, the eggs will become tough or even crisp.
6. Reduce heat to low (if using sauté pan) and cook
the eggs to order
Sunny side up. Cook slowly without flipping until
white is completely set but yolk is still soft and yellow. Heat must be low, or
bottom will toughen or burn before top is completely set.
• Basted. Do not flip. Add a few drops of water to
pan and cover so steam cooks the top. A thin film of coagulated white will
cover the yolk, which should remain liquid. Note: This preparation is sometimes
called country style. The term basted is used because the same effect may be achieved
by spooning hot fat over the egg as it fries. This method may make the eggs
excessively greasy, however.
• Over easy. Fry and flip over. Cook just until the
white is just set but the yolk is still liquid.
• Over medium. Fry and flip over. Cook until the yolk
is partially set.
• Over hard. Fry and flip over. Cook until the yolk
is completely set.
Procedure for Scrambling Eggs
1. Collect equipment and food items.
2. Break eggs into a stainless-steel bowl and beat
until well blended. Season with salt and white pepper. Do not use aluminum,
which may discolor the eggs.
3. If desired, add a small amount of milk or cream,
about 1 to 11⁄2 tablespoons (15 to 20 mL) for 2 eggs, or 8 to 12 ounces per
quart of eggs (250 to 375 mL per liter).
Too much liquid may make cooked eggs watery and
dilutes the flavor. Heavy cream adds richness but also adds cost.
4. Heat butter in a small sauté pan (for cooking to
order) or in a large skillet, as for fried eggs.
Note: Steam kettles or tilting skillets may be used
for scrambling large quantities of eggs.
5. When fat is just hot enough to make a drop of
water sizzle, pour in eggs.
6. Cook over low heat, stirring gently from time to
time as the eggs coagulate. Lift portions of coagulated egg so uncooked egg can
run underneath. Too much stirring breaks up eggs into very small particles.
Do not let the eggs brown. Keep heat low.
7. When eggs are set but still soft and moist,
remove from heat. Turn out onto plate or into steam table pan.
Procedure for Making a French Omelets
1. Collect all equipment and ingredients.
2. Beat 2 or 3 eggs in a small bowl just until well
mixed. Do not whip until frothy. Season with
salt and pepper. If desired, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water may be added to make
the omelets lighter.
For extended service, beat a large quantity of eggs.
Measure each portion with a ladle.
3. Place an omelets pan over high heat.
4. When the pan is hot, add about 1 tablespoon (15
mL) clarified butter and swirl it around to coat the inside of the pan. Give it
a second to get hot.
Raw butter may be used, but great care is necessary
to keep it from burning.
5. Add the eggs to the pan. They should begin to
coagulate around the edges and on the bottom in a few seconds.
6. With one hand (the left, if you are
right-handed), vigorously shake the pan back and forth. At the same time, stir
the eggs with a circular motion with the bottom side of a fork, but do not let
the fork scrape the pan.
This is the difficult part. The most common errors
are not shaking and stirring vigorously enough and using heat that is too low.
The purpose of this action is to keep the eggs in motion so they coagulate
uniformly.
7. Stop shaking and stirring when the eggs are
almost set but still very moist. If you continue stirring, you will have
scrambled eggs instead of an omelet.
8. Tilt the handle up and shake the pan so the
omelet slides to the opposite side of the pan and begins to climb up the
opposite slope.
9. For a filled omelet, spoon the filling across the
center of the egg, perpendicular to the handle.
10. With the fork, fold the sides of the omelet over
the center. The omelet should now be resting in the corner of the pan and have
an approximately oval shape.
11. Grasp the handle of the pan with your palm
underneath and tilt the omelet out onto a plate so it inverts and keeps an oval
shape.
The whole procedure should take less than 1 minute.
The finished omelet should be moist on the inside,
tender on the outside, and yellow or only slightly browned.