48. To enable the housewife to prepare many of the dishes already
mentioned, as well as many other egg dishes, a number of recipes are
here given. These recipes pertain to the cooking of eggs alone in
various ways or to dishes in which eggs are the leading ingredient.
There are, of course, numerous other dishes in which eggs are required,
such as custards, cakes, mayonnaise, etc., but these are omitted here,
as recipes for them are included in the lessons that pertain directly to
them. In the first few recipes, the ingredients are omitted and merely
directions given, for the eggs themselves are practically the only thing
required, especially so far as the cooking is concerned. However, in the
majority of cases, the ingredients are listed in the usual manner and
explicit directions then given for carrying out the recipe.
49. SOFT-COOKED, OR JELLIED, EGGS.--Eggs that are cooked soft, or
jellied, may be used for any meal in which plain eggs can be served.
When properly prepared, they are both digestible and attractive, and any
person who is able to eat eggs at all can eat them in this form.
To prepare soft-cooked, or jellied, eggs, first bring to the boiling
point sufficient water to cover well the desired number of eggs, which
is usually 1 pint of water to each egg. Then drop the eggs into the
water carefully, remove the pan from the fire, place a cover on it, and
set it on the back of the stove, where the water will not heat further
nor cool too rapidly. Allow the eggs to remain in the water for
5 minutes.
When eggs cooked in this manner are served, they will be found to be the
consistency of jelly all the way through. This method of cooking is
preferable to boiling them for 3, 4, or 5 minutes, because boiling cooks
the white just inside the shell very hard, while the yolk of the egg
remains liquid.
50. POACHED EGGS.--Eggs properly poached make a very attractive
breakfast dish, but the poaching should be well done in order to have
the dish attractive and digestible. The food value of a plain poached
egg is, of course, identically the same as that of a soft-cooked, a
hard-cooked, or a raw egg. Eggs are usually poached in a shallow pan,
although egg poachers are to be had.
To poach eggs in a shallow pan, pour into the pan sufficient water to
cover the eggs that are to be cooked, add a teaspoonful of salt or of
vinegar for each pint of water, and bring it to the boiling point.
Remove the pan from the flame or reduce the heat so that the water will
cease to boil. Break the eggs, one at a time, into a saucer and then
slide them carefully into the water. Do not allow the water to boil
after the eggs have been added, as boiling toughens the egg white and in
addition causes considerable loss by tearing it into shreds. When the
eggs are set, remove them carefully from the water and season them with
salt and pepper. A convenient way to remove the eggs is to use a large
spoon that has holes in the bowl for draining off the water. The salt or
vinegar is added to the water before cooking in order to solidify the
albumen and keep it in a mass.
[Illustration: Fig. 12]
An egg poacher contains a perforated section of metal just large enough
to hold an egg. In poaching eggs with such a utensil, the perforated
part is placed over a pan of boiling water; then the egg is carefully
slid into it, and allowed to poach. Eggs prepared in this way are really
cooked by steam and are found to be very satisfactory.
51. POACHED EGGS ON TOAST.--Eggs poached according to the directions
just given can be made both appetizing and attractive by serving them on
toast, as shown in Fig. 12; indeed, the addition of toast to a poached
egg adds a quantity of carbohydrate, a food principle in which the egg
is lacking. If the toast is buttered, fat is added, and such a dish,
together with fruit, makes a very excellent breakfast. A slice of toast
of medium size with the usual amount of butter and egg will have a food
value of about 225 calories. In preparing poached eggs on toast, the
usual custom is to butter slices of freshly made toast, moisten them
with hot milk or cream, and place on them freshly poached eggs. The eggs
are then seasoned with salt and pepper, and, if desired, a little piece
of butter may be dropped on each one. To add to the attractiveness of
such a dish, the toast may be cut round with a cookie cutter or a square
piece may be cut diagonally to make two triangular pieces.
52. HARD-COOKED EGGS.--Eggs that are cooked hard may be served hot or
cold, or they may be used in numerous ways, as, for example, to garnish
a dish to which the addition of protein is desirable or to supply a
high-protein dish for some light meal.
To prepare hard-cooked eggs, bring to the boiling point sufficient water
to cover well the desired number of eggs, about 1 pint of water for each
egg to be cooked usually being sufficient. Carefully drop the eggs into
the water and place the pan on the back of the stove where the water
will not boil, but will stay hot. Allow the eggs to remain in the hot
water for 45 minutes; then remove them, and if they are desired hot,
serve them at once. If they are not to be served hot, pour cold water
over them and allow them to cool before removing the shells in order to
prevent the yolks from discoloring.
When prepared in this way, eggs will be found to be tender and at the
same time well cooked; whereas, if they are cooked at the boiling point,
they are certain to be tough and leathery and consequently less
digestible.
53. FRIED EGGS.--Fried eggs are likely to be more or less indigestible,
because the hot fat coagulates the protein and makes it very hard. The
addition of fat, however, increases the food value of the eggs to a
certain extent. To fry eggs, melt enough butter or other fat in a frying
pan to cover its surface well. Break the eggs one at a time into a
saucer and slip them into the hot fat. Season with salt and pepper. Fry
until the white has become well solidified on the bottom, and then
either turn them over or put a few drops of water in the pan and cover
it tight with a cover, so that the steam will cook the top of the egg.
Fry until the desired degree of hardness has been obtained, and
then serve.
54. SCRAMBLED EGGS.--A pleasing variety from the usual methods of
preparation is offered by means of scrambled eggs, which are not
difficult to make. Too long cooking, however, should be guarded against,
for it will cause the protein in the eggs to become too hard and to
separate from the liquid and will produce watery scrambled eggs. To be
most satisfactory, they should be taken from the pan just before they
have finished cooking, for the heat that they hold will complete it.
Eggs prepared in this way, according to the accompanying recipe, may be
served on toast or with ham and bacon. If they are served with meat, a
smaller portion of meat should be given to a person than is
ordinarily served.
SCRAMBLED EGGS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. butter
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk and seasonings. Melt
the butter in a frying pan and, when the butter is hot, pour the egg
mixture into it. As the eggs begin to thicken, stir them up from the
bottom of the pan and continue to stir them until the entire mass has
thickened slightly. Before the eggs are entirely cooked, remove them
from the pan. Bacon and ham fat may be used instead of butter, and they
are strongly recommended if they can be secured, for they lend an
excellent flavor to scrambled eggs.
55. SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATO.--The addition of tomato to scrambled
eggs lends an unusual flavor as well as a little variety to the dish.
The same conditions apply to the cooking of scrambled eggs with tomato
as apply to plain scrambled eggs; namely, that too long cooking ruins
them. The onion included in the recipe here given may be omitted from
the dish if it is not desirable. The fat to be used may be in the form
of butter, although bacon or ham fat may be substituted to give an
agreeable flavor.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH TOMATO
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
3 Tb. fat
1 slice onion
1 c. stewed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 eggs
Put the fat into a frying pan, and when this grease is hot add the slice
of onion and fry it until it is brown. Remove the onion from the fat,
and add the stewed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Then beat the eggs
slightly and add them to the hot tomato. Stir the mixture slowly from
the bottom of the pan until it is slightly thickened. Remove from the
pan and serve hot.
56. SCRAMBLED EGGS ON TOAST.--The addition of cheese to eggs, as in the
accompanying recipe, makes a dish that is very high in protein and
usually pleasing in flavor. So as not to overcook the eggs in this dish,
they should be cooked only slightly in the pan, because they receive
additional cooking when the dish is placed in the oven to melt the
cheese. Browning the cheese slightly on top makes a very attractive
dish, especially when garnished with parsley.
SCRAMBLED EGGS ON TOAST
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. fat
1/2 c. grated cheese
6 slices of toast
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, and pepper. Melt
the fat in a frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg mixture. Stir
the mixture as it cooks until it has thickened slightly; then pour it
over the slices of toast placed in a shallow pan. Sprinkle the grated
cheese over the top, and place under a lighted broiler or in a very hot
oven until the cheese melts. Remove to a platter garnish with parsley,
and serve.
57. SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH HAM.--The accompanying recipe affords an
excellent way in which to use up the little scraps of ham that may be
cut from the bone when it is impossible to cut enough nice looking
pieces to serve as a cold dish. Eggs prepared in this way will be found
very tasty and will take the place of a meat dish for luncheon
or supper.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH HAM
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. chopped cooked ham
2 Tb. fat
Beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, pepper, and ham.
Melt the fat in a frying pan and scramble the mixture as directed in
Art. 54 until it is slightly thickened. Remove from the stove and serve
at once. If desired, this dish may be served on toast. Other left-over
meat, such as roast beef or pork, may be used in place of ham, but such
meats do not make so tasty a dish, the flavor of ham in such a
combination being more desirable. 58. PLAIN OMELET.--The simplest type
of omelet, which is known as plain omelet, does not differ materially
from scrambled eggs, except that the whole is collected in a mass in an
omelet shape. No difficulty will be experienced in making such an omelet
if the directions in the recipe here given are followed explicitly. To
make this dish more attractive, some food of a contrasting color, such
as jelly or tomatoes, may be used for garnishing.
PLAIN OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
6 Tb. water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. fat
Beat the eggs, and to them add the water, salt, and pepper. Heat the fat
in an omelet pan or a small frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg
mixture. When the egg on the bottom of the pan has thickened, tip the
pan and draw the thickened portion toward the handle with the end of a
knife, allowing the uncooked egg to run over the pan, and when that has
thickened on the bottom, draw it up as before. Repeat until all of the
egg has been cooked and an oblong-shaped omelet is formed. Place on a
hot platter or plate, garnish with parsley or jelly, and serve.
[Illustration: FIG. 13]
59. PUFF OMELET.--Many housewives consider it to be a very difficult
thing to make a puff omelet successfully; but such need not be the case
if fresh eggs are used and the usual amount of care is taken in its
preparation. The whites of the eggs must not be over-beaten, as too much
beating will cause the loss of air and will not permit the omelet to
become sufficiently light. Another precaution is that the mixture should
not be overcooked, for the application of heat after it has been
sufficiently cooked will cause it to shrink. How a puff omelet made
according to the recipe here given should look, is shown in Fig. 13.
This is a very pleasing dish and never fails to appeal to those persons
who are fond of eggs.
PUFF OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 Tb. bread crumbs
4 Tb. milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. fat
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk. Separate the yolks and whites of the
eggs. Beat the egg yolks and add them to the crumbs and milk. Add the
salt and pepper. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them carefully
into the yolk mixture. Heat the fat in an omelet pan or a frying pan,
and when it is hot pour the mixture into it. Cook over a very slow fire,
being careful not to burn the mixture, until a knife can be slipped
under and the whole mixture raised. By this time the top should be quite
puffed up. Place the pan in a hot oven, where the omelet should puff
still more, and cook until it is no longer raw. With a knife, score
across through the center on a straight line with the handle. Then
carefully fold the omelet double, roll it out on a hot platter or plate,
as shown in Fig. 14, garnish with parsley, and serve at once. If an
omelet of this kind stands for any length of time after it is served, it
will shrink and be much less appetizing.
[Illustration: FIG. 14]
60. CHEESE OMELET.--If an additional amount of protein in the form of
casein is desired in an omelet, the accompanying recipe for cheese
omelet should be tried. The addition of cheese makes this dish even a
better meat substitute than either the plain or the puff omelet.
Likewise, the cheese adds flavor, which may be increased if desired by
the addition of more cheese than the recipe calls for. Although this
recipe mentions butter, fat other than butter may be used.
CHEESE OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 c. grated cheese
2 Tb. bread crumbs
4 Tb. milk
4 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. butter
Mix the grated cheese with the bread crumbs, milk, egg yolks, salt, and
pepper. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into the
other ingredients. To cook the omelet, proceed according to the
directions given for making puff omelet in Art. 59.
61. TOMATO OMELET.--The addition of tomatoes to an omelet makes an
attractive dish as far as color is concerned, and, at the same time, it
gives variety by improving the flavor. Such an omelet is also less
concentrated than a plain omelet, for the tomatoes provide bulk and
additional water is added. While in a way these lower the food value of
the dish, the loss is more than made up by the qualities that are added.
TOMATO OMELET
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 Tb. fat
2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes
Beat the eggs, and to them add the milk, salt, and pepper. Heat the fat
in a pan large enough to make the egg mixture 1/2 inch deep when poured
into it. Cook slowly until it is well done. Peel and cut the tomatoes
into slices 1/3 inch thick. Place the sliced tomatoes on 1/2 of the
omelet, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, score the omelet through the
center, and fold the other half over the tomatoes. Then slide the omelet
on a hot platter, garnish with lettuce or parsley, and serve at once.
62. VARIETY IN OMELETS.--From the recipes given for omelets, it will be
noted that this dish may be made plain or may be varied by adding
ingredients that provide flavoring or increase the nutritive value. In
addition to the suggestions that have been made in these recipes, there
is an almost endless number of ways in which omelets may be varied. For
instance, left-over bits of any kind of meat, such as a roast, a steak,
or chops, from the day before or bits of bacon fried for a previous meal
may be chopped fine and utilized for this purpose. Cheese cut fine or
grated and mixed with the eggs helps to make a delicious omelet. Bread
crumbs, cracker crumbs, rice, riced potatoes, or left-over cereal may
be used, as well as mushrooms, chopped or whole, and oysters raw or
previously scalloped or fried and then chopped. Bits of fish, such as
left-over crab or lobster, will do nicely for increasing variety. Often
jelly, jam, and fruit or vegetables are folded inside after the omelet
is cooked.
63. STUFFED EGGS.--A highly seasoned cold dish that is delicious for
picnics or cold lunches can be made by removing the yolks from
hard-cooked eggs, seasoning them, and then stuffing them into the
whites, as is explained in the recipe here given. Eggs so prepared also
make a desirable high-protein dish for summer weather when meat dishes
fail to appeal to the appetite. Wafers or tiny bread-and-butter
sandwiches served with stuffed eggs make them more attractive.
STUFFED EGGS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 hard-cooked eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. mustard
2 Tb. vinegar
Cut the eggs in half, either lengthwise or crosswise. Remove the yolks,
mash them, add to them the salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, and vinegar,
and mix thoroughly. Fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. The eggs
will be much more appetizing in appearance if the yolk is not packed
smoothly back into the white but allowed to stand up roughly. The plate
on which the eggs are served should be nicely garnished with lettuce,
parsley, or celery leaves.
[Illustration: FIG. 15]
64. CREAMED EGGS.--If a dish that will serve well for luncheon or a
light supper is desired, creamed eggs, as illustrated in Fig. 15, will
be found very satisfactory, for the cream sauce that is served on them
and the toast on which the eggs are placed add carbohydrate to an
otherwise high-protein dish. The eggs used in this dish must be
hard-cooked in water, so as not to be indigestible. Paprika sprinkled
over the top and parsley used as a garnish add colors that make the dish
very attractive.
CREAMED EGGS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1-1/2 c. milk
2 Tb. fat
2 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. paprika
6 hard-cooked eggs
6 slices of toast
Heat the milk. Put the fat in a saucepan and heat it until it is light
brown; then add the flour, salt, and paprika to the melted fat and mix
all thoroughly. Pour in the hot milk and stir the mixture constantly
until the sauce has become smooth and thick. Cut the hard-cooked eggs
into halves while they are hot, and place two halves with the cut sides
down on each piece of toast. Pour the white sauce over all, sprinkle
with paprika, and serve.
[Illustration: FIG. 16]
65. Eggs a la Goldenrod.--Closely resembling creamed eggs in composition
and food value, but differing from them somewhat in appearance, are eggs
a la goldenrod, which are illustrated in Fig. 16. This is, perhaps, even
a more attractive dish if it is nicely made than creamed eggs, and many
persons who do not like hard-cooked eggs find this dish agreeable and
are able to digest it.
EGGS A LA GOLDENROD
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
2 Tb. fat
2 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
4 hard-cooked eggs
6 slices of toast
Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, and
pepper, and mix well. Then add the hot milk and stir until the sauce
thickens. Chop the whites of the hard-cooked eggs into small pieces, and
mix them with the white sauce. Arrange the toast on a platter and pour
the sauce over it. Put the hard-cooked egg yolks through a sieve or a
ricer and sprinkle them on top of the white sauce. Serve hot.
66. SCALLOPED EGGS.--A quantity of carbohydrate is added to eggs when
they are scalloped, for the white sauce and the cracker crumbs that are
used in this dish supply this food substance. The cold meat that this
dish requires and that should be well chopped into small pieces may be
left-over from roasted, stewed, or even broiled meat. As this provides
an additional amount of protein, the dish on the whole serves as an
excellent substitute for meat with carbohydrate added.
SCALLOPED EGGS
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. milk
2 Tb. fat
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tb. flour
1 c. cracker crumbs
4 hard-cooked eggs
1 c. chopped cold meat
Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add the salt, pepper, and
flour, and mix well. To this add the hot milk. Cook until the sauce
thickens, stirring constantly. Grease a baking dish and place in it 1/3
cupful of the cracker crumbs. Over the crumbs arrange two of the eggs
sliced thinly, and on the top of the eggs put half of the meat. Repeat
by adding a layer of 1/3 cupful of the crumbs, the remaining eggs
sliced, and the remainder of the meat. Pour the white sauce over all and
arrange the remaining 1/3 cupful of crumbs on top. Bake in a moderate
oven for 1/2 hour. Serve hot from the baking dish.
67. INDIVIDUAL BAKING DISHES FOR EGG RECIPES.--Although the directions
given in the preceding recipe for scalloped eggs state that this recipe
is baked in a baking dish, it is not necessary that one large dish of
this kind be used, for, if desired, individual baking dishes may be
substituted. In fact, any recipe for which a large baking dish would
ordinarily be used may be baked in the small dishes used for a single
serving, and eggs prepared in this way are especially attractive. Such
dishes are also used for the baking of custards or the molding of jelly
and blanc mange. Since they prove very useful and find so much favor,
it is advisable for every housewife to add a few of them to her supply
of utensils and to become familiar with the varieties that can be
secured and the proper way to use them.
Dishes of this kind may be purchased in both cheap and expensive
varieties and in plain or fancy styles, being made of white porcelain,
of glass, or of the brown ware so much used for large baking dishes and
casseroles and having a white glazing on the inside.
68. When such dishes are used as a means of adding variety to the
cooking and serving of eggs, they should be placed in the oven in a
shallow pan containing enough hot water to come nearly to the top of
them. The object of this plan is to keep the temperature uniform. As
long as the dishes are surrounded by water, the food to be cooked will
not attain a greater heat than 212 degrees Fahrenheit, because the
surrounding water cannot reach a higher temperature. Food cooked in this
way will be found to be baked much more evenly and to be of a better
consistency than food that is subjected to the high temperature of the
oven. Most of the recipes that follow, while they can be baked in large
baking dishes if desired and then served from the dish, are designed
particularly to be used in individual baking dishes.
69. BAKED EGGS IN CREAM.--A dish that is particularly desirable for
breakfast, but that may be served for luncheon, is made by baking eggs
in cream according to the accompanying recipe. Besides being very
appetizing, this dish is high in food value because of the addition of
the cream and fat. Crisp toast served with eggs prepared in this way is
very delightful.
BAKED EGGS IN CREAM
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
6 eggs
1 Tb. butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. cream
Grease six individual baking dishes and break an egg into each. Put a
small piece of butter on top of each egg and season with salt and
pepper. Pour over each egg two tablespoonfuls of cream. Place the baking
dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake until the eggs are as hard
as desired. Serve hot.
70. SHIRRED EGGS WITH HAM.--An excellent way in which to utilize scraps
of ham is to combine them with eggs to make a dish that may be served
in place of meat. This dish, besides being high in food value, is very
tasty because of the flavor of the ham and the fact that it is quite
highly seasoned.
SHIRRED EGGS WITH HAM
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. chopped ham
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tb. butter
Grease six individual baking dishes. Mix the mustard and pepper with the
ham, and then divide this mixture as evenly as possible into the baking
dishes. Break an egg on top of the ham in each dish, season with salt,
and put a small piece of butter on each. Place the dishes in a shallow
pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are well set
or hardened. Remove from the oven and serve at once.
71. EGG SOUFFLE.--If a delicate dish for children or invalids is
desired, egg souffle will answer the purpose very well. This dish is
light in character, but it is high in protein and to most persons is
very delightful. It is more attractive if baked in individual baking
dishes, but it may be baked in a large baking dish and served directly
from the dish. To improve the flavor of egg souffle and make it a more
appetizing dish, tomato sauce is often served with it.
EGG SOUFFLE
(Sufficient to Serve Eight)
1 c. milk
2 Tb. fat
2 Tb. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tb. chopped parsley
4 eggs
Heat the milk. Brown the fat in a saucepan, add to it the flour, salt,
and parsley, and mix well. Pour in the hot milk, stir constantly until
the sauce thickens, and then remove from the fire. Separate the eggs and
add the well-beaten yolks to the sauce, stirring rapidly so that the egg
will not curd. Beat the whites stiff and fold them carefully into the
sauce. Turn into well-greased individual baking dishes until they are
about two-thirds full, place in a shallow pan of hot water, and bake
until firm when touched with the finger. Serve at once in the dishes in
which they are baked, because they shrink when they are allowed to cool.
72. The tomato sauce that is often served with egg souffle is made as
follows: