Pop Cuisine: December 2009

A box without hinges, key or lid,

Yet golden treasure inside is hid.

This is one of the riddles used by Bilbo Baggins as he was trying to outsmart and escape the underground home of Gollum. He was, of course, describing eggs. It’s interesting how this is in the very same chapter he happens to find The One Ring. Eggs are certainly “my precious”.

The egg is the quintessential symbol of life. In one form, a perfect little package of proteins eventually becoming a living creature. In another form a little box of nutrients providing for the sustenance of other beings.

There are so many things an egg can do that I couldn’t just write one entry about them.

The Background

The egg has many virtues in the kitchen. Its many qualities lend towards giving one dish dense richness while in another dish can provide light airiness. The most common egg is the chicken egg.

The chicken’s closest ancestor is a jungle bird from tropical and subtropical Southeast Asia and India. It was here that it was most likely first domesticated, which is believed to be around 7500 BCE. From there, they were taken to Egypt around 1500 BCE, then to Greece in 800 BCE then to Europe around 600 BCE. It is believed that Columbus carried the domesticated chicken to the Americas on his second voyage in 1493.

The chicken is one of the birds that will keep laying eggs to keep up a quota to make up for predators stealing an egg or two. The egg’s size, color and flavor depend on breed of chicken and her diet.

The egg from the Single-Comb White Leghorn is bred for egg laying production in America. Their coops are kept rooster less so the eggs remain unfertilized. The white egg we all know at our grocery stores is produced by the Leghorn, whereas the most common brown egg is produced by the Rhode Island Red. Other than the color, there is no difference in flavor, makeup or nutritional value between the two.

The Anatomy

The egg has many layers that make up the perfect little package.

The main part of the egg is called the germ cell. This is the white dot seen at the top of the yolk. This is the part that contains the genetic information from the mother hen.

The yolk is the sustenance for the germ cell. If the egg were fertilized, this will be the food source for the growing embryo. The yolk consists of mostly fats and proteins. Over 33% of the eggs weight is in the yolk. It carries most of the iron, thiamin, and Vitamins A, D and E. The yolks color is dependent on the diet of the hen. Alfalfa and corn feeds produce xanthophylls which give the yolk the yellow pigment. To break it down a little more specifically, the yolk is made up of 49% water, 32% fat, 17% protein and 2% of other minerals.

The white, called the albumen, is the clear substance that protects the yolk. The part that holds the yolk in place is the chalazae. This is an elastic cord that is anchored to the walls of the shell. It prevents the developing embryo from contacting the shell which could deform the growth. Then there are four alternating layers of albumen surrounding the yolk that are alternating between thick and thin in consistency. The albumen also forms an air cell at the blunt end of the egg. This would in effect give the hatching chick its first gulps of air. The break down of the albumen is: 86% water, 12% protein, and 2 % minerals, fatty material, vitamins and glucose.

The shell is the box that encases the little treasure. Its calcium carbonate make up is held together by a matrix of proteins. The main functions of the shell are to keep moisture in and bacteria out.

The Quality

The USDA keeps an eye of the quality of the eggs produced. They have defined three different grades: AA, A and B. Egg grades are determined by the breakout method or by candling. The breakout method is a destructive method in which the actual egg is broken and measured. This method uses the Haugh unit (named after Raymond Haugh, who suggested the method) to determine the grade. The Haugh unit is a ratio of the height of the albumen to the weight of the egg. The lower the height of the albumen, the lower the grade.


Grade AA Egg	Grade A Egg	Grade B Egg
Pictures from http://www.rockfarm.us/browneggs.htm

Candling is a non invasive way of inspecting the egg. It is done by holding up the egg in front of a light source to inspect the clarity and quality of the albumen and the size of the air cell. Fertilized eggs are usually caught by these methods as they would show different densities and imperfections in the albumen.

The Science

Given the make up of the eggs as noted in the anatomy section, a whole egg is 73% water and 13% protein. These proteins that are floating around in the water almost look like tangled little balls of yarn. As the egg heats up, the molecules start moving at a higher rate, much like a pot of water starting to boil. As the protein molecules move faster, they start to unravel forming long strands. Each long strand starts to bond with other protein strands creating a larger three dimensional net. This net encompasses the remaining water like a sponge. If there were anything else added to the egg while it was cooking, (for example, onions) they too would become part of the mesh.

The Methods (out of shell)

So you get to the kitchen ready to make breakfast, or brunch perhaps or maybe even the best of all, brinner. You’ve got a bunch of eggs and a rash of bacon in the ‘fridge and you’re trying to figure out how you want to prepare the eggs.

The first thing that comes to mind is fried eggs. Getting the pan to 250°F is ideal. A good way to tell is when the butter stops sizzling but doesn’t brown if you’re using oil it should shimmer. At this high temperature, you gain flavor while sacrificing a little tenderness. Cracking each egg into a separate dish to make sure the egg looks okay and you don’t break the yolk. Once the pan comes to temp pour the egg(s) in and season with salt and pepper. The once clear albumen becomes white and a nice crisp edge starts to form. Serving the eggs now will result in Sunny Side Up. The yolk is still a little runny, so you can dip your toast in them. Flip them over or pour a little water in the pan and covering and letting them sit for about a minute will result in eggs over easy. The yolk will still be a little runny and it will have formed a crispy cover. Let them sit a little longer, about another minute or so and they will be eggs over medium. The yolk will be a little more solid yet creamy. A little longer than that and you guessed it, they’ll be eggs over hard. The yolk will be completely solid.

If you’re like me, you prefer your eggs scrambled. The mixing of both the white and yolk together make a great flavor. Sometimes people add something to the mixture; cream, milk, water etc. This addition dilutes the proteins, which makes the eggs a little more tender. Warm the pan until a drop of water dances on the oil or the butter starts to bubble. Pour the eggs in carefully as to not splash the hot fat. If you like larger curds, let the egg sit for a while before stirring, smaller curds, start stirring sooner. Because of carry over, the eggs should be removed from the pan while still a little runny.

An omelet is also made from the same mixture of whites, yolk and extra liquid. This time, the pan should be hotter as to set the egg proteins sooner. The name omelet ultimately comes from the Latin word lamella, which means “thin plate”. This describes the formation of the egg as it’s done cooking. It also refers to the endless possibilities of toppings you can put on your little egg plate. Usually an omelet contains three eggs which are poured into a well oiled (or non-stick) pan. There are a couple of methods of what to do from here. Stir until curds are formed then distribute them into the plate shape letting them sit for a while to let the bottom set. Another method is to pour in the egg mixture and letting the bottom set in the beginning. Scrape up the egg and tilt the pan to let the still liquid egg touch the hot pan. You can now fill it with your toppings, fold and serve.

My sister happens to like the breakfast sandwich specifically made with an English muffin and a poached egg. This is done simply by putting the egg in a pot of simmering water. The trick is keeping the egg in a compact shape. Using a grade AA is best for poached eggs since they keep their shape easier. Some people aid this by putting a little vinegar in the water. The acid coagulates the proteins a little quicker thus setting the egg a little sooner so as to not allow the egg to spread out. Other people don’t like this because it makes a funny film over the egg. Others drain the thin white, leaving the stronger thick white to hold the shape.

My friend Amy has an excellent recipe for roasted eggs on her blog: http://thefabulousbakergirl.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/ode-to-julia-baked-eggs-in-ramekins/

This method is also called eggs en cocotte, or shirred eggs. Done slowly on the middle rack in a water bath, these eggs come out so creamy it convinced Amy to like eggs again.

The Dish

For my example, I made a frittata. A frittata is an Italian omelet filled with other ingredients. It can be compared to a Spanish tortilla or a crustless quiche. It is usually cooked in a frying pan then slid onto a plate and the still hot frying pan inverted over it to finish cooking the top. A more conventional way is to finish cooking it in a 350º F oven.

The slowness of the cooking keeps the egg moist and creamy.

The Recipe

Ham and Potato Frittata

Olive Oil	3 Tbs
Butter	1 Tbs
Shallot, minced	1
Yukon Baby Gold Potatoes, sliced	4 or 5
Ham, cubed	¾ Cup
Eggs	8
Salt and Pepper	To taste

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil and butter in a 12 inch nonstick pan. Briefly sauté shallot. Sauté potatoes with shallots until golden brown and delicious. Add ham. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until thoroughly scrambled. Arrange potatoes and ham on the bottom of a pan to make one even layer. Pour in eggs and let the bottom set up, about 1 to 2 minutes. Finish in the oven until top is set, another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let carry over heat finish cooking. Slice and top with lentils and chopped olives.

Lentils

To cook lentils, simply pick over to remove debris or shriveled lentils, rinse, and drain. Cover with water or broth and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (to aid in digestion). Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Depending on the variety and age, cooking time may take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour. [http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/lentiltips.htm]