How To Use Dairy Products Correctly: Part Four – Eggs (cont.)

Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Produce.

Eggs: Part Two

Poaching: boil 1.5 inches (40mm) water in a frying pan; add 5 g of salt and 5ml of vinegar. Break an egg into a cup, check and pour into boiling water. Turn down the heat. Fold the white around the unbroken yolk with a spoon and continue to simmer for another 3-4 mins. Lift out with a draining spoon and serve on warm buttered toast.

Scrambling: beat the eggs well; add salt, pepper to taste and a dash of milk. Melt enough butter to cover the bottom of a shallow pan. Heat the eggs slowly, stirring continuously. Cook in a basin floating in boiling water, if preferred. Serve when almost completely set, after about 5 mins.

Frying: Melt enough fat to easily cover the base of the pan. Tip egg in gently and gather white around the yolk. When the white has set, baste the yolk to taste and remove whole with a fish slice.

Baked: lightly grease a fireproof dish and slide the eggs gently into it. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and butter to taste. Bake in a medium oven and serve in the same bowl after the whites have set.

Omelettes: buy a pan and keep it just for omelettes! The base should be smooth and clean. Allow two eggs per person; whip lightly and add salt and pepper to taste. Heat enough butter to cover the bottom of a shallow pan. When the butter is fairly hot, gently tip in the beaten eggs; as it sets, raise the handle and draw the set mixture up towards the handle, allowing the liquid egg to run down onto the hot pan. When all the liquid has set, tilt the pan forward and roll the omelette up. Serve straight away on a hot plate. The omelette can be filled with almost anything, before being rolled over.

Pouring Custard: beat 2-3 eggs for every one pint of milk lightly. Heat the milk and pour gradually over the eggs; add sugar and flavouring to taste; cook in a double pan or jug and hot water until the required consistency has been reached. If it is not to be served immediately, pour a thin layer of water onto it to prevent a skin forming.

Baked Custard: proceed as above but then pour the custard into a lightly greased shallow dish; sprinkle sparsely with nutmeg and place the dish in water to halfway up its sides. Bake at 350 F for 35-45 minutes; you can test its solidity by inserting a knife, which should be clean on withdrawal.

Steamed Custard: proceed as for baked custard, but cook in a steamer or a pan in boiling water. The length of cooking time is about the same too.

Custard Tarts: pour a little pouring custard into each unbaked pastry case and bake in the oven for around 40-50 minutes. A little strawberry jam can be put at the base of the pastry case first, if preferred.