Hard to Beat
A chemist’s win-lose relationship with eggs
What is it about eggs? Everyone else can whisk them into delicious, fluffy omelets and scrambled eggs, fold them into soufflés, whip them into dreamy meringues or turn out spectacular cakes and pastries. My batting average is 500 at best. Although I adhere strictly to protocols in the lab, put me in the kitchen and I just wing it. That insouciance does not pair well with eggs.
Breaking eggs: I watch chefs deftly pull apart an egg and deliver its contents into a bowl. I’m lucky if I crack one the third time I whack it on the kitchen counter. It’s seldom a clean break. Years of trial and (mostly) error later, I still chase bits of shell out with a fork.
Scrambled eggs: Several years ago, eight-year-old Hannah spends a weekend with me while Kishia takes a much-needed vacation. “Oh don’t worry, she’ll show you how she likes her scrambled eggs,” I am told. And sure enough, eggs do Hannah’s bidding. She heats up the pan, adds butter, whisks eggs with salt and pepper, pours them into the pan, waits for them to set a bit, then carefully stirs. The perfectly seasoned, fluffy, scrumptious eggs are the best I’ve ever eaten. I copy the process a couple of times in the days to at follow. The knowledge is ephemeral.
On a work trip to Devens MA in 2019, I order avocado toast with scrambled egg-whites. The eggs are just right. Try as I may, though, I can never reproduce them. I can’t throw away egg yolks, so I use packaged egg whites. I tell myself that’s the problem. (It isn’t.)
Soft-boiled eggs: When friends spend a weekend with me, Jutta says she likes soft-boiled eggs for breakfast. Despite my trepidation, the 3-minute eggs are up to snuff and I can reproduce them each time she visits. She has the mistaken impression that I’m a good cook. On one visit, she brings me pretty little egg cups. They match tiny cozies from a long-ago trip to Chartreuse & Co. There are three cozies and four cups. I have the yarn and crochet hook to make a fourth one but that hasn’t happened yet.
Hard-cooked eggs: These are a little more forgiving. My favorite way to make them is with steam. This is a tip from Christopher Kimball. I use my Prestige pressure pan without its weight and have the process down to a science. Shocking them with iced water to peel? That works, mostly with eggs from mature chickens. Pullets (rookie hens) lay small eggs with shells that hold tight to hard-cooked whites. No, I did not run double-blind studies.
Poached eggs: I add this picture to show that I can poach eggs when I put my mind to it. The Milk Street method works well. Some months ago, when I stray into the cookware aisle at Wegmans, I talk myself into an egg poacher. The first time I use it, I follow the instructions and the egg is perfect. Then I get sloppy. Larger eggs stay runny, little ones explode. “Try a drop of vinegar,” says Mum, who doesn’t eat eggs. It works, of course!
Fried eggs: Christine suggests fried eggs when she visits me. One look at my face and she makes the wise choice to grab the spatula. She lightly greases the center griddle of my GE range and makes delicately cooked over-easy eggs.
A couple of weeks ago, I make sunny-side-up eggs when Arvind visits. They are perfect. Honest! It takes Arvind forever to get to the table, though, and the eggs congeal. After that, he takes over breakfast-making. The fried eggs are always delectable, with soft, oozy yolks and lightly crisped edges. The omelets are fluffy, buttery and filled with umami goodness. They flip and fold perfectly.
Spanish tortillas: When I visit Granada, Ainhoa Esteban Olivera’s potato and cheese tortilla is incredible. I try to make it when I get back. I know from bitter experience that I can’t successfully flip a stuffed omelet, so I pour eggs and filling into the hot, greased skillet, then cover and heat on low to finish. Not bad.
Cakes: My friend Pat is an excellent baker. Her peach cobbler, made with luscious, hand-picked South Carolina peaches and a whole stick of butter, has no equal. Her cakes are the highlight of every birthday celebration at work. One year, someone requests a red velvet cake. Pat hesitates because of a wrist injury. I offer to help. I follow her instructions to the letter and pour the batter into greased pans. When they come out of the oven, the cakes are lopsided. Don’t ask! I have NO explanation. Pat carefully carves the layers and manages to assemble a pretty cake. Everyone is very polite when they taste it the next day.
Now that you know my track record with eggs, here are a few recipes. Oh, and if you have never experienced eggs from Araucana chickens, go find some! These many-colored wonders fill me with joy. Do they taste different? Probably not.
Egg, Potato and Leek Skillet
1 large egg
1 small potato, sliced but not peeled
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp roughly sliced leeks
4 - 5 leaves of cilantro
⅛ - ¼ tsp salt
⅛ - ¼ tsp freshly ground peppercorn medley
⅛ - ¼ tsp turmeric
⅛ - ¼ tsp paprika
Heat the oven to 450℉.
Beat the eggs with 1 tsp of the oil, some of the salt and pepper. Set aside.
Add the remaining oil to a 5” cast iron skillet. Toss in the potatoes, the rest of the salt and pepper and all the turmeric and paprika. Stir and place in the oven for 3 min. Add the leeks and cook for another 2 - 3 min.
Turn the oven down to 350℉.
Add the cilantro to the egg and pour the mixture over the potatoes and leeks. Place the pan in the oven for 3 - 5 min, until the eggs are set.
Egg and Tamale Bake
1 large egg, separated
1 frozen veggie tamale, thawed
1 pat of butter
1 small tomato, diced
½ tsp minced cilantro or parsley
⅛ - ¼ tsp salt
⅛ - ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
⅛ - ¼ tsp ras el hanoût
Heat the oven to 425℉.
Lightly grease a small cast iron skillet with butter. Spread the tamale in the skillet, making sure that there’s a raised edge. Whip the egg whites with the tomatoes, herbs and spices. Pour into the tamale base. Place the egg yolk on the mixture. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 8 - 12 min.
Baked Egg-and-Spinach Cups
2 tbsp frozen cut spinach (no need to thaw it)
1 large egg
Pinch of freshly ground pink salt
Pinch of freshly ground peppercorn medley
Pinch of turmeric, optional
Pinch of asafetida, optional
Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
1 tsp oil or butter
Grease a foil muffin cup or ramekin with oil or butter. Drizzle in half the spinach and seasonings. Break an egg over the spinach. Drizzle the rest of the spinach and seasonings. Bake at 400℉ for 15 min. The yolks will still be a little runny. If you prefer a firm yolk, set aside for a few min.
Eggcellent read. I enjoy a good sunny side up with crunchy edges or a soft boiled egg with buttered soldiers. But my all time favorite is spaghetti carbonara. Though of late I have this egg allergy and it's eggravating.