Eggs: Tips and Ideas

I love eggs in all forms. Boiled, poached, in shakshuka or in an egg white omelette. I think they are a fantastic breakfast, since they are loaded with protein and keep you full for longer.

Here I’m sharing some tips and ideas, some of which I learned recently and found very interesting.

Freshness
– There is an old trick to seeing if an egg is fresh enough to eat. Pop it into a glass full of water. If it lies on the bottom it’s super fresh. If it sits upright on the bottom, it’s old but still ok to eat. If it floats… get rid of asap, and mind it doesn’t break ‘cause it will stink to high heaven.
– Very fresh eggs are great for poaching, as the whites keep together better.
– If you want boiled eggs, best use the older ones as they peel easier.
– Opinions on where to keep eggs are varied. To refrigerate or not to refrigerate? I keep them at room temp in the winter and the fridge in the summer. Don’t forget I live in Greece (my kitchen right now is 26C and that’s quite cool). These types of decisions should be made following your own research, I am in no way an expert!

Temperature
– For baking, egg-lemon sauces and carbonara, eggs are best at room temperature. For baking the egg binds better with the other ingredients, and for sauces it’s best not to shock the cold egg as it might scramble.
– If your eggs were in the fridge, bring them to room temp by covering them in warm (not hot) tap water for about 5-10 minutes.
– Keep in mind that eggs separate (yolk from white) easily if they are cold!

Boiling
– There are two schools of thought here. One will put the eggs in cold water and let them warm together. This reduces the chances of cracking. For me the problem is “well when exactly do I start counting time?” The other will place the eggs in boiling water, and they say the result is better.
– Apparently a little salt in the water will help prevent cracking during boiling. Haven’t tried it myself, let me know if you do!
– A method I discovered recently and really like, is to place eggs in cold water, bring them to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and move the pan, cover it and let stand for 12 minutes. This makes hard-boiled eggs, let them stand for less if you want runny yolks.
– Eggs continue to cook in their shells, so place them in cold water immediately after boiling, or crack them if you will be eating soon.
– It is said that steam boiled eggs are very nice. I will let you know when I have a go.
– Another trick I haven’t tried is peeling under running water; they say it’s easier.

Washing Up
– Never ever use hot water to wash a glass container that has had raw egg in it. It will stink for ages.

Other ideas
– After frying (as long as there isn’t loads and loads of oil) splash some good quality vinegar in your pan to deglaze, and pour it over the eggs. Yum, I’ve tried it with balsamic.
– A fried egg can transform certain dishes into something new. Try popping one on pasta, or cottage pie, or anything else you can think of. Or try this Greek eggy briam.
– Mash a boiled egg with some Greek yogurt, salt and pepper, for a lighter egg salad sandwich. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise in devilled eggs.
– Super fast scrambled eggs can be done in the microwave. Break an egg into a mug, add a splash of milk and some salt & pepper, and beat with a fork. Blast on high for 30 seconds, beat again and repeat for another 30”. Change your fork, mix again and if necessary cook a few seconds longer. It doesn’t compare to proper scrambled eggs, but it’s nice on toast for a very quick breakfast.
– Instead of milk in your scrambled eggs try a dollop of Greek yogurt.
– Try sprinkling some paprika, or tabasco, or sumac on your scrambled eggs. Chilli oil is also nice.
– Use up leftovers like bolognese or tomato sauce, or anything else, by putting it in ramekins, breaking an egg on top, sprinkling some cheese on it all and baking in the oven for about 15-20 minutes till the egg white is cooked.
– If you have leftover rice, warm it in a pan, break an egg in it while stirring, add a splash or soy sauce and you’ve got yourself a quick egg-fried rice dish.