Eggs
I have noticed that eggs are a touchy subject to talk about. Either you like them or don’t, depending on your taste, allergy issues, or for health reasons. But one thing is clear, you cannot get a moist cake, tasty soufflé, or sweet and sour and moist tarte au citron without them. You can try. You will get close. But it will never be the same. Now I choose to eat eggs less frequently than earlier, but when the discussion turns to cakes, then eggs abound as much as necessary. You need them for fresh pasta, just as for the perfect poached egg for breakfast or in salads.
I love eggs, but for health reasons I choose to eat less. I choose organic or from a know lady who has chickens. Yet, when I do eat them, I relish them, because I love cakes, éclairs, and pastries, as well as the soft, runny yolk than runs out of poached eggs. Eggs make life taste better, and there are so many different varieties you can use for so many different things. And why not? Duck, goose, quail, chicken, pearl hen, and many others. I will admit that I have never tried to prepare ostrich eggs.
Eggs have been used in cooking for a very long time, at least in those places where people had contact with birds, because that was a food that sustained people after a hard day’s work. Nobody poached them or turned them into a soufflé. No – eggs, just like meat, vegetables, and grains were a product that helped people survive.
Since childhood, we have known that eggs consist of the shell, the whites (albumen) and the yolks (vitellus). Each part of the egg is edible. Yes – even the shells, although rarely who chews them like that or whips up in a smoothie (you can, especially quail eggs). Bu the part that is hidden underneath the shell is divine and used so often – sometimes we don’t even know how often, such as in creamy ice creams where eggs add a wonderful texture and flavour that can’t be achieved any other way. Skipping eggs in a cake, you risk to skip that essential moistness, a fullness and richness that changes the structure of the dish, and sometimes colour. They certainly enrich the food with nutrients.
Chicken eggs. Although some people have allergies to them, one chicken egg can supply all the necessary amino acids and other vitamins that the human body needs, as long as the egg is good quality, free range, or organic. The egg white is 87% water and only 13% protein and does not have fat or cholesterol. It contains only 15 calories. So, the most nutritious and best part is concentrated in the yolk, which contains not only many vitamins and minerals, but also the stuff people fear – cholesterol and fat. It’s no wonder that the egg white dessert Pavlova is loved by ballerinas – it is so light and airy. Fresh egg yolks should be beautifully round and firm and in the centre of the whites; as the egg ages, the yolk loses its firm shape and begins to seep into the white. When cracking an egg, if you see that the yolk drips out, you know it is not fresh, and don’t even try to make a perfect poached egg, because it just won’t work. But a macaroon will just love this type of egg. The colour of the yolk depends on the conditions in which the chicken lives, what it eats, and what type of chicken it is. The more natural the conditions and food, the more beautiful and yellow the yolk.
Duck eggs.How I love a cake made from duck eggs – it is so moist and dense, but simultaneously light that it just boggles the mind. And omelets – yum! Duck eggs are slightly larger than chicken eggs, but the shell is much harder, the yolk more yellow, and the white holds more protein, making it ideal for pastry preparation. Research shows that duck eggs are richer in Omega-3 fatty acids than chicken eggs (farm and organic eggs were compared). However, there are minuses – duck eggs are higher in fat and cholesterol.
Goose eggs. A rare find. A luxury, I would say. One goose egg is about 3–4 or even 5 times bigger than a chicken egg, with a much thicker shell, richer yolk, and higher cholesterol level. When preparing cakes, you must carefully weigh goose eggs and calculate the proper proportions. But cakes are not the only thing you can prepare with goose eggs – omelets, casseroles, and other dishes that use chicken eggs will do. But don’t eat them raw.
Quail eggs. Every timeI go to the market to visit my egg man, he tells me how healthy quail eggs are (they also contain lots of good things) and how I should prepare them, shells and all, in shakes. I do use them when I get them, but, sadly, we don’t eat them often. Step by step they are replacing chicken eggs, especially in salads or as garnish. The one food where quail egg wins is mayonnaise – I love that it is lighter and healthier, because quail eggs do not hold salmonella. If I only have quail eggs at home and want to replace chicken eggs with them, then the approximate proportion of quail eggs to chicken eggs is 5 to 1. If you need 6 chicken eggs, then your “favourite” pastime will become breaking quail eggs.
Something to know!
To check an egg’s freshness, place it in a bowl of water. If the egg floats, it is old, and you should avoid eating it. If the egg sinks and stays at the bottom with the fat end down, it is fresh. If it stays down on its side, then it is a few days old, but can safely be eaten.
It’s best to store eggs with the pointy end down and fat end up.
Store eggs in the box you got them or closed dish – eggs absorb surrounding odors easily. If the room is under 23 degrees, you can store them like that, but if hotter, then fridge has to be your choice.
Wash the egg just before using.
Duck eggs can be stored up to 6 weeks, but they are best used within 10 days.
Goose eggs, if they are fresh, can be stored 3 weeks in the fridge in a closed dish.
Chicken eggs can be stored 3‒4 weeks.
A chicken egg white can be stored in a dish 2‒4 days.
Whole egg yolks can be covered with cold water and stored in a closed dish 2‒4 days.
Hard-boiled eggs can be stored 1 week.
Food that contains eggs can be stored in the fridge 3‒4 days.
Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s