Eggs are not just for Easter (From Smallholder)

Eggs are not just for Easter

3:33pm Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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SOON after Christmas, Chocolate Easter eggs were popping up in our shops and supermarkets and this got me thinking about real eggs.

What would we do without them as they play such an important part in our cooking? So I’m going to do a “double-yolker” by talking about eggs in general and next month as the essential ingredient in sweets.

So as it’s such a large subject we will make a start with the easiest way of cooking an egg.

NORWEGIAN EGGS
This Starter needs boiled eggs and hard ones at that! When cooking boiled eggs you will need a small pan and fill it with enough cold water to cover the egg. Then gently lower it into it and bring to the boil. If you want it half boiled (white just set and the yolk still soft) give it 4 minutes from the time the water reaches boiling point. For really hard boiled eggs (when both the yoke and whites are firm) 10 minutes. After which throw away the hot water and fill the pan immediately with cold. Then shake the pan in order to crack the shell. By doing this it will be much easier to peel. Keep changing the cold water until the egg have cooled down otherwise you might get a dark circle around the yoke.

6 hard boiled eggs, halved lengthwise
8oz pasta twists
1 tablespoon oil
8oz smoked salmon
Few lettuce leaves (shredded)
Cocktail sauce
500ml jar mayonnaise
1 tablespoons tomato purée
1 level teaspoon paprika
a little salt
Decoration:
Lumpfish caviar
Sliced cucumber.

1. Cook the pasta and drain well. Pour in the oil and making sure each piece is separated and not stuck together.

2. Make the cocktail sauce by combining the mayonnaise with the tomato purée, paprika and salt, and stir half into the pasta.

3. Place some lettuce on each (small) serving plate. Pile the pasta mixture on top, followed by the eggs. Mask them with the remaining sauce. Criss-cross the top with strips of smoked salmon.

4. Decorate with slices of cucumber and the lumpfish caviar.

(Serves 12 portions).

SIMPLE FRIED RICE
Eggs are often used as a “binder”, as in this case when it holds all the ingredients together. The secret of this recipe is to cook the rice well in advance and make sure it’s well drained. Store in the fridge as it isn’t an ingredient that if not kept cool can cause food poisoning!

8oz long grain rice, cooked and drained
4oz finely sliced pork
1 large onion, sliced
4oz prawns
4 tablespoons oil
2 lightly beaten eggs
Salt and pepper
Few spring onions.

1. Heat a wok with 2 tablespoons oil. When very hot and shimmering, add the pork and cook for 4 minutes before adding the onion and prawns. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

2. Mix the eggs into the rice. Reheat the wok, add the rest of the oil, and stir fry the rice with the pork mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Pile onto a hot plate, and decorate with chopped spring onions. Serve soy sauce as an accompaniment.

NB If you slit the white tops of the spring onions lengthwise and leave them (tops downwards) for a while in cold water they will open up and look like “flowers”

(Serves 4 portions).

SIMPLE FISH CAKES
Here, a beaten egg is used as “glue” as it make sure the breadcrumbs stick to the fishcakes and prevent them for coming off when they are fried. One yoke is also used to bind the ingredients together.

8 oz cooked flaked fish
8 oz cooked mashed potatoes
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon chopped parsley or coriander
Salt and pepper
Some fresh breadcrumbs
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons oil
2 oz butter.

1. Melt the butter, and mix together the fish, potato, egg yolk and parsley or coriander, and season well. Leave this mixture in the fridge until it is really cold.

2. Take approximately two tablespoons of the mixture, and first make it into a ball and then flatten it into a half inch deep fish cake. Repeat for the remainder of the mixture. Dip these into the beaten egg, and cover well with the fresh breadcrumbs, which you should pat well into the mixture. It’s a good idea to return these to the fridge before frying.

3. Melt the oil and butter together and gently fry the fish cakes until golden. Drain well on kitchen paper before serving.

(Serves 4 portions).

SMOKED HADDOCK AND LEEK QUICHE
Eggs are essential when making custard, and in this case it’s a savoury one. If they weren’t used you would have a very wet filling and a soggy pastry base!

1 lb leeks, (washed and sliced in ½ inch slices)
8 oz filleted smoked haddock
8ozs curd cheese
¼ pint whole milk
4 eggs
2 tablespoons double cream
½ lb shortcrust pastry
1oz grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper
A good pinch of dried tarragon leaves (optional).

1. Boil the leeks in some salted water until dente but not soft (approximately 5 minutes) Drain well 2. Cover the fish with the milk, in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and cook until it starts to flake (5-10 minutes) depending on thickness. - Drain off the cooking liquor and allow it to cool. Flake the fish, removing any skin 3. Mix the eggs into the cream cheese, the Parmesan cheese and cream. Season (and add the tarragon if using) before adding the fish liquor.

4. Line an oven-proof dish or an 8-nine-inch flan tin with the pastry. Scatter the leeks on top followed by the haddock. Pour on the egg mixture.

5. Bake in an oven 190ºC / 375ºF / Gas Mark 5 for 30 - 35 minutes or until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown.

(Serves six portions).

SIMPLE SMOKED SALMON SCRAMBLED EGGS
The easiest way I find to cook scrambled eggs is in the microwave using an ovenproof bowl. This saves having to wash up a sticky saucepan afterwards. To get good results you need to keep looking during the cooking. For 4 eggs you need 4 tablespoons of milk, 2 oz of butter and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat the milk, butter and seasoning in the microwave until the butter has melted. While this is happening whisk the four eggs. Then add these to the milk/butter and cook for two minutes. Bring it out of the oven and give it a good stir before adding a couple of slices of chopped smoked salmon. Return and only give it a minute before giving it another stir. Keep doing this till the egg is nearly set. You can easily overcook it as the scrambled egg will continue to cook without heat. It should have a set but creamy appearance. Pile on to buttered toast and serve at once.