by A.L.Smith

Created on: September 11, 2009

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can always make something delicious if you have an egg. There are many different ways to prepare an egg. With a few useful tips you can expertly prepare these wonderful ovals of tastiness.

Hard Boiled Eggs: Place your eggs in a pot of cold water, make sure the eggs are submerged. Bring the water to a boil, when the water boils reduce to simmer and start timing your eggs. Size does matter, cook large eggs for 15 minutes, medium eggs 13 minutes and small eggs for 12 minutes.

Soft Boiled Eggs: Place your eggs, cold, in water that is already simmering. Soft cooked eggs, placed in simmering water, take about 3 to 4 minutes.

Medium Boiled Eggs: Prepare the same as for soft boiled eggs but continue cooking another 2 to 3 minutes. Medium boiled eggs take 5 to 7 minutes total.

Poached Eggs: Poached eggs are best prepared from really fresh eggs. Adding a little vinegar and salt to the water helps the egg set faster. Breaking your eggs in a cup before hand helps to keep them together when they enter the water. Bring the water to just a simmer, slowly pour the eggs into the pot. The egg will sink and then return to the top of the water. Let the egg cook for 3 to 4 minutes. A good tip to remember is that the more eggs you add, the more the water cools. When poaching eggs, preparing them in smaller batches is better.

Fried Eggs: Heat your frying pan and butter until it is very hot. The butter should be sizzling but not smoking. Crack your eggs in the pan and reduce the heat to a medium-low. When the egg whites are set, it helps with cooking and taste if you baste the eggs with the remaining butter in the pan. Fried eggs should be seasoned with salt and pepper while cooking. Always turn your eggs when they are almost cooked. Over easy eggs need about 30 seconds on the other side and over hard need 2 minutes.

Scrambled Eggs: Whip eggs until the yolks and whites are blended. Adding a small amount of water or milk will make your scrambled eggs fluffier. Add your seasoning, salt and pepper, before you start cooking. Heat a pan, with butter, until hot. Add you eggs and reduce the heat to low. Constantly stir and roll over the eggs. A wooden spoon is the best utensil for scrambling eggs. The eggs are done when they are soft and creamy. Scrambled eggs should still retain some moisture.

Eggs are esantial to a wide varity of dishes and recipes. When prepared on their own, they can be a nutrious and delicous meal. A large egg contains just 70 calories and is packed with 15 essential nutrients.

Sources: The Professional Chef

Chef Lisa Whitty

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