Only strictly fresh eggs should be used for any purpose. There is
danger in stale eggs.
The beaten raw egg is usually considered the most digestible, but there
are some with whom lightly cooked eggs, as “Eggs in the Shell” agree
best, and still others upon whom the soft yolk acts almost like poison,
who can take omelets or scrambled eggs better, where the whites and
yolks are thoroughly mingled (when cooked in not too large a quantity
of oil).
Occasionally we find a person with whom the white of the egg disagrees;
but very seldom.
Try taking the beaten white of an egg when you have a sour stomach. It
is very soothing, also, to an irritated, sensitive stomach.
The white of an egg relieves the pain and prevents inflammation when
applied quickly to a burn or scald.
A few sliced Brazil nuts or filberts or broken pieces of other nuts
added to omelets or scrambled eggs aid mastication.
Salt should not be put into the water for poaching eggs; it renders
them less digestible.
The cooked yolk of the egg is most digestible when cooked long enough
to be dry and mealy, and the white when just jellied.
Never use milk in scrambled eggs or omelets. The casein of the milk
hardens with cooking and renders the eggs tough; besides, the flavor
of the eggs is much finer with water, and omelets are lighter. Cream
spoils the flavor though it does not toughen the egg as does milk.
Always bake soufflés, puff omelets, cakes, all things to be made light
with egg, slowly, and well from the bottom, so that they will stay up,
after rising. Serve soufflés and puff omelets as soon as done.
For custards or any thickening, beat eggs just sufficiently to mingle,
not to a foam.
Drop yolks of eggs in cold water to keep them from drying up when
whites only are desired, and lift carefully from the water with a
teaspoon when ready to use.
Add a trifle of salt to whites of eggs before beating; they will be
lighter.
Stand yolks of eggs in half the shell on a wrinkled towel while waiting
to prepare the whites for egg creams and other dishes.
When eggs are used freely in breads, cakes or puddings, other proteid
foods will not be required, so they need not add to the expense of the
meal.
=Eggs In the Shell, or Curdled Eggs=
The objection to the “soft boiled” egg is that the white is hard while
the yolk is soft. To obviate this difficulty, put from 1 to 4 eggs into
boiling water, 1 pint for each egg (cover if the dish is broad and
shallow; if deep, leave uncovered), and let stand off from the fire for
from 5 to 10 minutes according to the age of the eggs. Fresh laid eggs
will cook in a shorter time than those several days old.
When a larger number of eggs is required, use a smaller proportion of
water and let them stand on the back of the range where the water will
be below the boiling point, for 5 minutes.
The most accurate way to obtain the desired result is to keep the water
at the temperature (by the thermometer) of 168 to 170 degs. for 10
minutes; never allowing it to go above 170 nor below 168. The flavor of
eggs cooked in this way is as much more delicate and delightful as is
the consistency.
=Roasted Eggs=
Prick the shells of the eggs several times at the pointed end to
prevent their bursting during cooking, set them on the large end in the
hot sand or ashes under the camp fire, cover with leaves, hot sand and
embers and cook for 10 minutes. When opened they will be smooth and of
a velvety consistency. The same result may be obtained by putting eggs
in the hot ashes under the grate of the kitchen range.
=Poached Eggs=
In an oiled, shallow pan have unsalted boiling water deep enough to
be at least ½ in. above the eggs. Slide the broken eggs (only fresh
laid eggs will poach nicely) into the perfectly boiling water, singly,
or all from one large dish. Set pan on asbestos pad, cover and leave
where the water will keep hot but will not boil, until the eggs are
jelly-like. Remove carefully from the water with a small oiled skimmer
and cut off the ragged edges with a biscuit cutter. Nothing is more
offensive to the eye than a rough ragged poached egg.
Besides the usual toast, poached eggs may be served on cream toast,
round slices of broiled trumese, on hash or creamed vegetables, or in
shallow nests of boiled rice, mashed potato or spinach. Do not forget
the garnish, as there is no place where a spray of parsley gives a
better effect than on poached eggs.
Or, place oiled muffin rings in the pan of water and break an egg into
each ring; take up with griddle cake turner and remove the ring.
The most nearly perfect of all, however, are eggs poached in the
Buffalo Steam Poacher after the following method:
Have the lower part of the poacher ⅔ full of _boiling_ water; set the
_well oiled_ poacher cups, each containing an egg, into their places;
cover, let stand over the hot fire just a moment to allow the cover to
become filled with steam, then set off from the fire. Leave, covered
tight, for 6 m., when you will have eggs beautifully jellied all
through, which (if the cups were oiled sufficiently will slide out on
to whatever you wish to serve them on.)
Sometimes poach eggs in thin cream or in milk and butter, lay on to
slices of toast, halves of biscuit or large thin wafers, and pour the
cream around.
=Poached Yolks of Eggs=
Drop yolks, one at a time, into rapidly boiling water; keep them
rolling, by rapid boiling, for at least 10 m.; then stand where they
will boil more slowly till done, 20-25 m.
=Poached Whites of Eggs=
To be cut in fancy shapes for garnishing.
Break whites of eggs into thoroughly oiled cup or bowl, set in pan of
hot water, with something to keep the dish from touching the bottom of
the pan, and leave over the fire until the white is set.
=Poached Beaten Eggs=
Beat eggs to a foam with water, or any desired addition, and cook in
steam poacher.
=Creamed Eggs=
Break eggs into a shallow baking dish, cover with thin cream and bake
in a moderate oven; sprinkle with salt and dot with parsley leaves
before serving. Or, bake or steam singly in ramekins or custard cups.
Rye bread crumbs may be sprinkled in the bottom of the dish and over
the eggs for variety, also ground pine nuts.
=Rice with Poached Eggs=
Steam rice in shallow dish; when done, make depressions for the
required number of eggs; break one into each hollow, set dish in
steamer for 2 m., or till whites are set, sprinkle with chopped parsley
and send to table. Creamed potatoes may be substituted for rice
sometimes, and either may be baked in the oven by covering with a pan.
=Poached Eggs--Creamed Celery=
Put nicely poached eggs on rounds of toast and arrange in a circle on
a chop tray; fill the center with celery in cream sauce. Garnish with
leaves of spinach.
=Hard Boiled Eggs=
Put eggs into warm water, bring to just below the boiling point, 200
degs. and keep at that temperature for about 30 m. Drop for a moment
into cold water before removing the shells. Or, when necessary, boil
rapidly for 10-20 m.
Hard eggs agree with some stomachs better than soft ones.
=Italian Eggs=
Cut hard boiled eggs in halves lengthwise, lay on to cutlets of corn
meal porridge and pour Italian sauce around.
=Creamed Eggs on Toast=
Serve halves or quarters or slices of hard boiled eggs on toast with
cream sauce, plain, or flavored with celery or onion, with chopped
parsley sprinkled over. Plain or tomato drawn butter may be substituted
for cream sauce.
=Eggs and Macaroni=
Cook macaroni in 2-in. lengths, in salted water with onion and garlic
or garlic only. Drain and arrange in nest fashion on chop tray. Lay
whole, shelled eggs in center, pour cream of tomato sauce around and
over nest. Sprinkle with parsley. Drawn butter or cream sauce may be
used.
Or, cut eggs in halves, crosswise, remove yolks and mix to a paste with
melted butter, salt, onion juice and chopped parsley. Fill whites with
the mixture and arrange on bed of macaroni. Pour sauce over. The roast
gravy or some of the mushroom sauces may be used.
=Eggs With Sauce=
Hard boiled eggs, whole or in halves, may be served with cream, cream
of tomato or mint sauce, or with sauce Imperial or fruit sauces or
jellies; with mint sauce on broiled nutmese.
=Stuffed Eggs=
Cut hard boiled eggs in halves, lengthwise, remove yolks and add to
them bread or roll crumbs soaked in cream, a little chopped parsley
and salt. Rub all together until smooth, add raw egg (or yolk only) to
bind, fill spaces in the whites of eggs and press the halves together.
Add beaten whole egg to the mixture remaining, dip eggs into it, roll
in crumbs and heat in oven or steamer, covered, until just warmed
through. Serve with any desired sauce.
A little onion juice may be added to the yolk mixture, or nutmese or
trumese cut very fine, with or without chopped mushrooms. Mashed potato
may be substituted for bread crumbs.
The eggs may be served as a garnish for green peas or on slices of
toast with or without sauce.
=Eggs with Ripe Olives=
3 eggs
12 (or more) olives, chopped coarse
French dressing
chopped parsley
Cut eggs in halves crosswise, remove yolks and mix with olives and
dressing, return to the whites, stand on leaves of lettuce and sprinkle
with parsley. Pour dressing around. Improved Mayonnaise dressing is
suitable also. May garnish with whole olives.
=Pickled Eggs=
_Pickle_--2 parts each of lemon juice and water, ⅓ part sugar, salt and
a little celery salt. Heat to boiling, pour over hard boiled eggs with
a few slices of red beet. Let stand 24 hours.
=Eggs à la Salade=
Cut hard boiled eggs in halves lengthwise, remove yolks, rub through
wire strainer and mix to a smooth paste with Improved Mayonnaise
dressing (flavored with onion or garlic if desired), fill the whites
and press the halves together. Lay in nests of shredded lettuce dotted
with the dressing.
Or, rub whites through strainer, place around the inside of nests of
shredded lettuce; mix yolks with dressing, shape into small eggs and
place in nests.
=Shirred Eggs=
Butter and crumb individual dishes, break 1 or 2 eggs into each, set
over pan of hot water in oven and bake until eggs are set. The dish may
be rubbed with a cut clove of garlic.
If preferred, sprinkle oiled griddle with crumbs, set buttered muffin
rings on it, pressing them down firmly, and drop an egg into each ring.
Bake. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, serve on toast with any desired
sauce.
=Scrambled Eggs.=
Put oil in pan and heat very hot but not smoking. Turn in eggs which
have been broken and salted but not beaten. As they set, draw carefully
from the bottom of the pan with a spoon without turning over. When all
are set but not hard, slide quickly (leaving the shining side up) on
to a plate or platter. The dish must be all ready, as a moment’s delay
will overcook the eggs.
_Another Way_--Take from 1 teaspn. to 1 tablespn. of water (never milk)
for each egg; beat, and scramble as above.
Do not stir, just draw the eggs from the bottom of the pan. Cream may
be used but the flavor is inferior to the water scramble. Nut cream may
be used instead of water.
=To Scramble a Large Quantity of Eggs=
Break 3 or 4 dozens of eggs into an oiled agate or aluminum kettle,
add salt and water, beat slightly and set kettle into hot water. Stir
occasionally at first, then more often as eggs begin to set.
Do not try to keep warm long, but make fresh lots as required.
=★ Tomato Scrambled Eggs=
Take ¾-1 teaspn. thick tomato pulp to each egg, with salt. May flavor
with onion.
=★ Sour Milk Scrambled Eggs=