COOKING WITH EGGS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31783, 13 September 1968, Page 11

COOKING WITH EGGS

yyiTH egg prices down almost to their minimum for the summer, housewives should now widen their imagination and use more eggs in family cooking. Not only are eggs of such a tremendous food value, but they provide some of our simplest dishes as well as some of the most elaborate. We tend to take our one or two eggs a day at breakfast, with bacon. But they have dozens of other uses. The whole egg, of course, improves the texture of cakes, batters, pikelets, and so on. The egg can be boiled, fried, scrambled, coddled, stuffed, used as a garnish for salads, and on for 100 uses. The yolk on its own has the ability to thicken sauces and custards, and when cooked and crumbled makes an attractive garnish. Eggs can be used in egg flips, alcoholic or otherwise. Then there are such things as the famous Greek egg and lemon sauce, which can be added to many dishes. To make this sauce, simply beat egg and lemon juice together in the ratio of the juice of a lemon to three eggs, and stir the sauce into whatever dish requires it All that is necessary is that the dish to be flavoured has

some liquid. Take two or three tablespoons of this liquid and stir it into the sauce. The white of the egg can be added to desserts to give extra lightness, it gives us meringues, and can be used as a garnish, or in soups as a clarifier. With eggs, cooking is generally simple, but you must watch the time of cooking and the degree of heat Too much heat results in an over-coagulated mess, too tough to be digestible. Methods should be quick, and at a medium heat This is where the use of asbestos mats and double-saucepans is important Here are a few egg recipes that are worth trying:— EGG SOUP 5 cups clear soup stock 2 teaspoons cornflour Salt Soy sauce 2 eggs 1 piece ginger Parsley Prepare the soup stock, or use bouillon cubes. Add the cornflour diluted with a little stock, and add two teaspoons of soy sauce and salt Simmer until cooked. Beat the eggs until frothy, then spread over the surface of the soup so they float on it Add ginger, sliced or grated, and sprigs of pars-

ley. Cook for a few minutes before serving. SAVOURY EGG SPREAD 1 sliced onion 1 teaspoon tumeric i teaspoon curry powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg Fiy the onion in a little oil and add the curry powder, tumeric and salt Fry gently. Pour In the beaten egg and when cooked serve on hot buttered toast, crumpets or small savoury biscuits. JELLIED EGGS 1 Slice ham 4 eggs 1 pint savoury jelly 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley Cut the ham into small pieces and arrange in the bottom of four heatproof glass dishes. Poach the eggs so that the white is just set and the yolk still runny. Carefully transfer the eggs to the dishes. When they are cool, cover with savoury jelly, sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top of each and leave to set CHAUDFROID OF EGGS 4 hardboiled eggs i oz gelatine t pint stock i pint white sauce i pint tomato sauce

4 teaspoons cream Hardboiled egg white And tomato as garnish Cut the eggs in half lengthways and put them on a rack, cut side down. Dissolve the gelatine in the stock and add half to the white sauce and the other half to the tomato sauce. Add two teaspoons of cream to each sauce then leave until nearly setting. Coat half the eggs with the white sauce and the rest with the tomato sauce. Decorate with pieces of egg white and tomato, and serve on shredded lettuce. INDIAN CREAMED EGGS 3 eggs i teaspoon mustard 1 tablespoon flour Salt and pepper 1 cup grated cheese 1 cup eream 1 teaspoon butter Butter a dish and sprinkle with grated cheese, break in the eggs and sprinkle with salt, pepper and mustard. Make a white sauce with cream, flour and butter, and pour sauce over the eggs and sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese. Bake in moderate oven until mixture has set and la golden brown. EGG AND LEMON SOUP 4 pints strained chicken stock

3oz rice 3 eggs Salt Juice one lemon Bring the stock to the boil adding salt Throw in rice and cook for about 15 minutes. Prepare an egg and lemon sauce. Beat the eggs well, then gradually beat in the lemon juice and, very slowly, two cups of the hot broth. Just before serving the soup add the sauce, stirring continuously. Simmer until the soup is again hot, cover and let it stand for five minutes.

Eggs And Chicken Livers lib frozen chicken livers 2 tablespoons butter 4 hardboiled eggs Salt and pepper. Soak the frozen livers in cold water until defrosted. Wipe dry and sear in butter for four to five minutes. Remove from pan. Mash the smaller pieces with the juice and leave the others. Peel and halve the eggs lengthwise. Remove the yolks and mash them with the liver pulp. Add seasoning to suit Fill the egg whites with the mixture, place in shallow baking dish and place the rest of the livers around. Next make this sauce:— 2 to 3 onions 3 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 2 cups chicken stock i teaspoon salt Dash cayenne 1 tablespoon sherry. Peel and mince onions, and saute them in butter, without browning, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add flour and stir to smooth paste before adding stock slowly. Season and simmer for six minutes. Strain off onions and pour the sauce over the eggs and chicken livers in the baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees until the sauce is bubbling and the top browned—3o to 40 minutes.