Yolk's On Me

Another wonderful, punderful Monday.

I would like to talk about eggs.  Easter being right around the corner and all.

Eggs are wonderful.  Really.  Not only are they the universal symbol of life and rebirth, but they are also incredibly versatile and delicious.

By themselves and one or two other key ingredients, they make an easy breakfast dish.  Add some flour and fat, and you have popovers, cookies, cakes...ad bakery infinitum.

I am always a little saddened when I hear of someone suffering from an egg allergy.  Chocolate, okay.  Seafood, fine.  Wheat, probably better for you anyway.  But, eggs?  Sad sad sad.  Sorry, but today's post won't be for you.

I used to not think too much about cracking an egg for a frittata or quiche or brownies or carbonara sauce.  Eggs are cheap, just an integral part of the recipe.  When I began to think of my food as simple and unfettered, though, I began to think simple ways to prepare eggs.  Ways in which I would only need two other things: water and heat.

This photo above illustrated a soft-boiled egg.  The yolk is not quite runny, but still has that liquidy look to it.  Perfect for including in a pasta or soup dish in which, once broken, the yolk slowly oozes its golden deliciousness all over whatever thing is being eaten.  Soft-boiled eggs are also referred to as "jammy" and that is a perfect adjective.  Jammy eggs are my preferred way to eat eggs like this, as it is my daughter's...and it's heartening to know my DNA is doing its job. 

How to get a perfect jammy egg?  A pot of water, brought to the boil, drop eggs in carefully and set your timer for six-and-a-half-minutes.  Not seven, not five and thirty.  Six and a half minutes.  Remove carefully and place in ice-cold water.  Peel and go to town.  Or, do up a bunch at one time and refrigerate until you want to use.  Then, heat up a cup of water in the micro and place the egg in it for a minute-ish to rewarm.  Trust.

This here is your classic hard-boiled egg.  For me, all this egg needs a little salt & pepper or even Tajin seasoning right before it goes into my belly.  Our State Fair does these suckers on a stick, by the hundreds, with a little Lawry's seasoning salt.  Always a stop for me whenever I go.  Again, a pot of water brought to the boil, place the eggs in and let them swim around for about 13 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let them sit and think about their eggy lives for another two minutes or so.  An ice-cold water bath later, they're ready to peel and eat straight away.  OR...you could turn them into deviled eggs (like my husband would want) or dice them up for an egg or potato salad (like the rest of America would want).

Above, you are upclose and personal with a poached egg.  Poached is another way I love eggs, but only at home.  If I go out for breakfast somewhere and respond with "Poached, please" when the waitress asks how I want my eggs done, I usually get the confused Death Stare.  Better to save that skill for Chez Nelson.  The problem with poaching eggs, though, is all that filmy egg white that hangs on for dear life during cooking.  Gums up my spoon, my pot, my life.  So...I separate the egg white before poaching, and - Problem Solved.  This little egg trick also solves the problem of the egg-to-toast ratio...there's always enough toast to soak up the sun here, if you get what I'm saying.  I don't have waste precious carbohydrates on the crispy egg white.

Currently, the state I live in is still in the final, undying throes of winter.  It's gray right now, and rainy, and chilly.  Eggs are sunshine.  And don't we all just need more of that anyway? 

If you like it, then you should've put an egg on it (...is what Beyoncé's original lyrics were, I'm pretty certain).