Egg Cookery

                                                    EGG

Definition of an Egg:

"An egg is a round or oval body laid by the female of any number of different species, consisting of an ovum surrounded by layers of membranes and an outer casing, which acts to nourish and protect a developing embryo and its nutrient reserves. 

Most edible eggs, including bird eggs and turtle eggs, consist of a protective, oval eggshell, the albumen (egg white), the vitellus (egg yolk), and various thin membranes. 

• Lecithin – Protein in Yolk
• Albumen – Protein in White

Types of Eggs:-

Quail
Guinea Fowl
Pheasant.
Hen
Turkey
Duck
Goose
Ostrich

EGG COOKERY

Eggs are nourishing & easily digestible. The ideal storage temperature for the egg is 2 to 5º c. Eggs produce meals, which saves time and are important source of energy. The average weight of an egg is 50 gm according to Indian standards & 75 gm according to international standards and the calorific value is 70 calories.

• Eggs provide all the amino acids which are required by our body. 
• The egg yolk contains iron, fats & vitamins, yellow colour by ferruginous pigment 
• Egg white made up of two parts . A thick white surround the yolk and A thinner more liquid part is between the membrane and thicken egg white. Egg white contains protein (albumin), iron, vitamin a & d and sulphur. Clear when raw and white, firm when coagulated. 
• Eggs shell is made up of calcium carbonate.
• Over all the egg contain 73% water by volume.
• Egg tends to coagulate at 60-65º c & yolk coagulates at 65-70º c.
• Egg also contains chalazae (two white strands), which has an importance that it keeps egg yolk in centre.
• Membrane lines the shell & forms a air shell at the large end of shell.

Nutritional value

Eggs are important for nutrition. They contain vitamin A,D,E,K and B complex. They are high in iron and one egg equal to 28g lean meat, Fish or poultry. One large egg provide 15% of the recommended daily allowance for protein. Egg are low in saturated fat and one egg gives approximate 70 calories.
Chicken eggs are the most commonly eaten eggs. They supply all essential amino acids for humans, and provide several vitamins and minerals, including (vitamin A), (vitamin B2), Folic acid ,iron, calcium, , phosphorus and potassium All of the egg's vitamin A, D and E are in the egg yolk. The egg is one of the few foods to naturally contain vitamin D.
The major concern with egg is cholesterol. One large egg gives average 213 mg of cholesterol. To reduce the cholesterol content use egg white instead of whole egg.
Cooked eggs are easier to digest, as well as having a lower risk of contamination.


MARKET FORMS

1. Fresh eggs or shell eggs. These are most often used for breakfast cookery and are the main subject of this
section.

2. Frozen eggs.
• Whole eggs
• Whites
• Yolks
• Whole eggs with extra yolks

Frozen eggs are usually made from high-quality fresh eggs and are excellent for use in scrambled eggs, omelettes, French toast, and in baking. They are pasteurized and are usually purchased in 30-pound (13.6-kg) cans. These take at least two days to thaw at refrigerator temperatures.

3. Dried eggs.
• Whole eggs
• Yolks
• Whites
Dried eggs are used primarily for baking. They are not suggested for use in breakfast cookery. Unlike most dehydrated products, dried eggs are not shelf-stable and must be kept refrigerated or frozen, tightly sealed.


GENERAL COOKING PRINCIPLES

The most important rule of egg cookery is simple: Avoid high temperatures and long cooking times. In other words, do not overcook. This should be a familiar rule by now. Overcooking produces tough eggs, causes discoloration, and affects flavour.

COAGULATION
    Eggs are rich in protein, so the principle of coagulation is important to consider.
    Eggs coagulate at the following temperatures:
    Whole eggs, beaten about 156°F (69°C)
    Whites 140° to 149°F (60° to 65°C)
    Yolks 144° to 158°F (62° to 70°C)
    Custard (whole eggs plus liquid) 175° to 185°F (79° to 85°C)

    Note that whites coagulate or cook before yolks do. This is why it is possible to cook eggs with firm whites but soft yolks.

SULPHUR
The familiar green ring you often see in hard-cooked eggs is caused by cooking at high temperatures or cooking too long. The same green colour appears in scrambled eggs that are overcooked or held too long in the steam table. This ring results when the sulphur in the egg whites reacts with the iron in the yolk to form iron sulphide, a compound that has a green colour and a strong odour and flavour. The best way to avoid green eggs is to use low temperatures and short cooking and holding times.

FOAMS
Beaten egg whites are used to give lightness and rising power to soufflés, puffy omelettes, cakes, some pancakes and waffles, and other products.

The following guidelines will help you handle beaten egg whites properly.
    1. Fat decreases foaming. When separating eggs, be careful not to get any yolk in the whites. Yolks contain fats. Use very clean equipment when beating whites.

    2. Mild acids help foaming. A small amount of lemon juice or cream of tartar gives more volume and stability to beaten egg whites. Use about 2 teaspoons cream of tartar per pound of egg whites (20 ml per kg).
    3. Egg whites foam better at room temperature. Remove them from the cooler 1 hour before beating.
    4. Do not overbeat. Beaten egg whites should look moist and shiny. Overbeaten eggs look dry and curdled and have lost much of their ability to raise soufflés and cakes.
    5. Sugar makes foams more stable. When making sweet puffed omelettes and dessert soufflés, add some of the sugar to the partially beaten whites and continue to beat to proper stiffness.(This will take longer than when no sugar is added.) The soufflé will be more stable before and after baking.

SELECTION OF EGGS
Check for cracks in the shell which could let bacteria in and contaminate the eggs. Freshness of egg can be check by following method:

    I. Water test: put the egg in water
          Bad egg : it will float.
         Good egg : it will sink in bottom.

    II. Spread test or egg break test: just break the egg
          Bad egg : egg white will be thin & spread greatly and yolk is flat & broad.
         Good egg: egg will be a thick and yolk will be on the centre, round & high.

    III. Candle test: check against the flame of candle
            Bad egg : it will be almost transparent.
            Good egg : it will be opaque.

Uses of eggs

    1) Binding agent: eggs are used as binding agents for example croquettes.
    2) Leavening agent: this property is exhibited by the eggs when we whip the egg white, the air gets entrapped inside the egg white & hence the egg acts as leavening agent for example sponge.
    3) Coating agent: egg acts as coating agent in various dishes such as cutlets, poulet maryland etc.
    4) Emulsifying agent: eggs act as emulsifying agents in case of emulsion such as mayonnaise (oil & water).
    5) Thickening agent: eggs act as a thickening agent in gravies, sauces, soups etc.
    6) Clarifying agent: in case of consommé, the egg acts as clarifying agent, where it clarifies the soup by entrapping impurities present in the soup.
    7) Eggs are also used for decoration & garnishes of egg dishes & egg forms an important part of breakfast menu.
    8) Eggs are also used for desert preparation like Custards, soufflé etc.
9) Used for Shining in Bread rolls.
10) Use for beverage preparation.


Method of cooking eggs

1) Simmering: the hard & soft boiled egg prepared in same manner but with a difference of cooking time.
              3-5 min. : soft boiled
              8-10 min. : hard boiled
v Use fresh eggs.
v Use egg at room temperature.
v Bring the water boil, reduce the temperature and put the egg.

2) Poaching: (95º-98º c)
v Use fresh eggs.
v Bring to simmer a solution of vinegar & water in a ratio of 1:9.
v Break the egg one by one in a cup & slide them in simmering water.
v fold egg white on egg yolk, leave for 3-4 min.
v Remove in cold water & drain in a cloth.
v Use immediately or store in iced water for 24 hours.

3) Frying:
v Use fresh eggs.
v The oil should be hot or the egg will become greasy.
v Cook the order i.e., according to the guest requirement whether underdone or well-done.

4) Scrambled eggs:
v Use medium fresh eggs.
v Season, beat lightly then add butter.
v Add beaten egg on pan & stir on moderate heat continuously with wooden spoon.
v Cook till creamy consistency.
v Scrambled egg can be made with milk also.

5) Omeletes:
v Beat the egg (2-3) per person with salt & pepper using a fork.
v Heat 10 gm. Butter in a pan
v Pour the egg mixture; shake the pan while stirring the egg.
v stop when set & roll away from the handle at 45º (crescent shape).
v Fold completely both the edges.
v Should be lightly brown.
v Served in hot plate.

Certain important points handling eggs
1. Accept only fresh eggs.
2. Interest should be shown in using clean shelled eggs (because if the shell is porous it may be contaminated from salmonella bacteria)
3. Store at 2ºc to 5º c
4. Do not keep the shells on service table.
5. Check the egg shell before simmering.
6. Do not store the egg wash for more than 24 hours.
7. Store unwashed with the pointed end down in the egg tray in the refrigerator.
8. Wash carefully all the equipments while handling with eggs.

Egg grades

AA: Clean unbroken. The yolk is firm, well centered and rounder in shape and the area covered by the white is small. There is a large proportion of thick white to thin white.
Grade A’ Egg covers a relatively small area. The yolk is fairly centered, round and upstanding.
Grade B Egg spreads out more. The yolk is flattened and there is about as much, (or more), thin white than thick white. Clean to slightly Stained.