I have updated this post to reflect the fact we now grow our own eggs and use them every day but decided to keep some of the raw elements of the original post from 2012. I also combined three posts into one as you will see three, easy and delicious ways to make and enjoy eggs.
Eggs. One of God’s great gifts. We mammals owe are very livelihood to eggs. That may sound obvious, but I think it is important to remind ourselves, in addition to our memories of middle or high school sex ed class, that if it wasn’t for eggs, we wouldn’t be here.
As humans, we are fortunate to have discovered at some time in history the use of eggs from other species in the animal kingdom. Duck, goose, ostrich, alligator, and even more exotic species “donate” these pre-fertlized capsules to us in a way that, probably more than any other ingredient, has impacted human eating in more ways than any other ingredient. Although we are seeing duck, goose, and some of the other aforementioned eggs in more and more cuisine…really…rediscovering what some cultures outside the US have been doing for centuries, our good old chicken egg is more utilitarian than the best MLB prospect coming up through your teams farm system. Think about it, not only for breakfast, but lunch (pasta anyone?), dinner (breads and salads) and of course dessert (custards, puddings, souffles, cookies, cakes…the list keeps going).
As a boy, we have eaten eggs in all sorts of ways. For me, cakey cookies, cupcakes, brownies and so on made up a nice dessert, and of course breakfast was the place where eggs seem to be more a part of the American experience than probably any other item save pancakes and bacon.
We all need to know how to cook eggs, plain and simple. Cheap, easy to find, and super delicious, it is important for all males to know how to prepare eggs in all sorts of ways, but at a minimum need to know how to hard-boil, bake, scramble, fry, and turn into a delicious omelet. Now that we have our own farm, we consume more eggs than I ever thought was possible. Our layers do the work, we reap the rewards.
Below are three ways to prepare eggs. Scrambled, hard boiled (the way Granny taught me), and the omelet with three variations.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs
3 Eggs (per serving)
pinch of Kosher salt
pad of butter
Heat up your favorite frying pan to medium heat. Once hot, drop in your butter.
Meanwhile, drop your eggs into a bowl. Drop in your pinch of salt and beat with you fork in a circular motion from bottom to top to get lots of air into the eggs, approximately 90 seconds (or more).
Pour eggs into the hot, buttery frying pan.
Take a wooden spoon and pull the eggs that firm up from the sides to the middle. By “stirring” your eggs, you will keep the creaminess, not let the eggs bunch up, and will cook evenly. Keep pulling eggs away from side and push your eggs around, making sure to get the “runny” eggs cooked up.
I pull my eggs from the heat when they are still a touch runny, as they will keep cooking the hot pan. Pour onto plate and add your favorite fresh herb, cheese, pepper, hot sauce etc.
Granny’s Hard Boiled Eggs
Sometimes the things we remember when we think back to our childhood, have no real legit explanation. There may have been happier moments to remember but the things that stick, are some times funny. One such item is my mom’s (now Granny Smith) hard-boiled eggs. She seemed to have some eggs boiling away on the stove quite often (at least that is how I remember it) and in the fridge was a medium-sized stock pot of hard-boiled eggs staying cool in the fridge. Sometimes they were made for other recipes (her “family potluck style” macaroni salad with sliced egg on top) or just for eating, or even crumbling in a salad. At any event, this basic technique, how to hard-boil eggs, is a must for the boy who is wanting to become a man, and needs to have available in the fridge, or for his family who wants to bring a hard-boiled egg to work or school and want to roll it around in salt, pepper, or something else for a quick protein fix.
3-6 eggs (or however many you want)
pinch of kosher salt
water
Place eggs in sauce pan. Fill up with cold water. Add salt. Bring to a rolling boil UNCOVERED. When at boil, remove from heat, add lid, and let sit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, drain as much of the hot water as you can without breaking eggs, and run over with cold water for several minutes. Place in fridge til you are ready. I leave in the water.
The Omelet – 3 Variations
There is nothing like a real good omelet. The neat thing about them is that it almost doesn’t matter what you put inside the fluffy eggs, it will always taste good, provided of course, you master the basics of creating the luxurious, silky palette for your chosen fixins. I have included 3 variations, none of them common.
3-4 eggs lightly beaten
pinch Kosher salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp butter
See the instructions for 3 omelet variations.
Heat the butter in a 10 inch nonstick frying pan over medium high heat. When the butter turns a golden brown color, pour in the eggs. Let them sit about 5 seconds until you see the edges start to set. Then using a wooden spoon stir the eggs for 5 -10 seconds until the are about to set. Carefully tilt the frying pan at about a 45 degree angle holding “back” the eggs with a fork while letting the egg that is still runny to pass through fork to the hot part of the pan. Repeat on all sides until cooked to your liking. Add your favorite version to the middle and fold over the top so it looks like a half moon. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and serve.
*Omelet 1 – Sautéed Mushroom*
Toss a pad of butter in your frying pan, add a handful of your favorite mushrooms (I like a blend of crimini, shitaake, and morel when I can find them). Brown up but be sure you don’t crowd the pan, you don’t want soggy, you want brown. Sprinkle in some fresh thyme and cook for another 2 minutes and when eggs are set, place mushroom mixture in center and fold and serve
*Omelet 2 – Fresh Herbs and Prosciutto*
When prepping omelet mixture, stir in 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, tarragon, or chives. When eggs are set, scatter two slices of prosciutto torn into pieces and fold and serve.
*Omelet 3 – Dill, Scallion, and Fontina*
When prepping the omelet mixture, stir in 1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh dill and 1 chopped scallion (green onion). When eggs are set, sprinkle with either grated Fontina or a nice slice. Fold and serve.
