Egg Dishes

Eggs are fantastically versatile ingredient and mainstay of many cuisines. They can be served alone, however they can
be combined well with many ingredients to create a huge variety of food from simple omelettes, quiches, tarts, flans and
delicious soups and sauces.

Tools, utensils and equipment used in egg preparation

1. Coddler- a small cup made of porcelain with a screw on top, which is submerged in simmering water until the egg is
cooked. Eggs can be eaten directly from the coddler
2. Egg cooker- an electric appliance which steams or cooks eggs in the shell with inserts or cups for steam – poached
eggs or flat inserts for cooking fried or scrambled eggs and omelettes
3. Crepe’ pan- a skillet which is shallow and slope-sided and is 6-8 inches in diameter.
4. Custard cups- small, deep, individual bowl-shaped dishes, with a capacity of 6- 10 ounces, designed for oven use and
perfect for baking individual custard and quiches.
5. Omelette pan- a non- stick, shallow, and slope- sided skillet usually 7- 10 inches in diameter. A double omelette pan
consists of 2 shallow rectangular or semi-circular pans attached by hinges. Each pan has a handle.
6. Egg piercer- a sharp-pointed tool used to gently prick a very small hole in the large end of an egg shell before hard
boiling. The purpose of which is to allow some air to escape and some water to seep into the egg during cooking which
may make peeling easier. To make peeling hardboiled egg easy, use eggs that are 7- 10 days old.
7. Poacher- a covered pan containing a plate with shallow cups in each of which an egg can be cooked over steam rising
from boiling water at the bottom of the pan.
8. Quiche dish- it is also called a flan or tart dish which is round, shallow dish with scalloped edges intended for oven
use.
9. Egg ring- a round band, with or without handle, to hold a fried or pouched egg during cooking.
10. Separator- a small cup used to separate egg white and egg yolk.
11. Slicer- a tool used to cut hardboiled egg into uniform slices with one stroke.
12. Wedges- a tool which holds the hardboiled egg upright and cuts it into 6 equal wedge- shaped parts as you pull the
wires over it.

Nutritive value and components of Eggs

 Protein- eggs are excellent source of protein which is found in both yolk and the albumen. About 12.5 % of the weight
of the egg is protein. Protein in egg is of high biological value as it contains amino acids needed by the human body.
 Vitamins- most of the recognized vitamins are found in eggs with the exception of vitamin C. eggs are good source of
all the B vitamins, plus the fat- soluble vitamin A. it also provides useful amounts of vitamin D, as well as some vitamin
E.
 Minerals- eggs are an excellent source of minerals that the human body requires for health particularly phosphorous,
required for bone health and iodine, required to make the thyroid hormone. Eggs also provide significant amounts of
calcium, needed for bone growth structure and nervous functions; zinc is important for wound healing, growth and
fighting infections; selenium, an important antioxidant. It also contains significant amounts of iron, the vital ingredient
of red blood cells. The fat of an egg is found almost entirely in the yolk. 11.2 % of the egg content is fat, there is less
than 0.05% in the albumen.
 Cholesterol- cholesterol and lecithin are fat-like substances essential to the structure and function of all cells in the
body. Cholesterol helps maintain the flexibility and permeability of cell membranes and is also a raw material for the
fatty lubricants that help keep the skin supple. Cholesterol is essential for the production of sex hormones, cortisol,
vitamin D and bile salts. Lecithin is involved in general lipid transportation in the blood and in the metabolism of
cholesterol.
 Carbohydrate and Dietary Fiber- eggs contain only traces of carbohydrate and no dietary fiber.

Anatomy of an Egg

 Shell- the shell has a thin outermost coating called the bloom or cuticle that helps keep out bacteria and dust. The color
of the shell has no relation to quality. Shell color is determined by the breed of hen.
 Inner and Outer Membranes- the two transparent protein membranes provide efficient defense against bacterial
invasion. They can be found in between the shell and the egg white. They’re made partly of keratin, a protein that’s also
in human hair.
 Air cell- the egg white is known as the albumen, which comes from albus, the Latin word for white. Four alternating
layers of thick and thin albumen contain approximately 40 different proteins, the main components of the egg white in
addition to water.
 Chalazae- the two ropes of chalazae hold the yolk firmly in the middle of the egg, there is more thick white than thin
white.
 Vitelline membrane- the clear casing that encloses the yolk.
 Yolk- the yolk contains less water and more protein than the white, some fat, and most of the vitamins and minerals of
the egg. These include iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, phosphorous, calcium, thiamine, and riboflavin. The yolk is also a
source of lecithin, an effective emulsifier. Yolk color ranges from just a hint of yellow to a magnificent deep orange,
according to the feed and breed of the hen.

Characteristics of Quality Fresh Eggs

 It should be clean, uniform in size and sound- shelled
 It should be plain, free from stain, odor or feces
 Shell should be rough, chalky and unbroken
 It should sink in water
 It should have firm, round, and well- centered yolk
 It should have light and thick white part
 It has a small air cell (less than 5mm deep)

How to buy Eggs

1. Choose the type desired and know the best quality for each type.
2. Know how to determine fresh eggs. Methods to be used are:
a. Candling- eggs are held before a source of light.
b. Gross examination of the egg- fresh eggs has rough shells which are dull in appearance. Stored eggs are smooth
and shiny.
c. Clicking together- good eggs have bell like tone. Cracked eggs have a flat tone.
d. Water test- when eggs are placed in a bowl, fresh eggs will sink and stale eggs will float.
e. Breaking- fresh eggs have clear, thick, firm white which holds closely to yolk when broken. The yolk is well
rounded, high in mid center and does not break.
f. Be familiar with the different types and sizes of eggs. There are specific uses for each size but it is not a measure of
quality.

Market Forms of Eggs

1. Fresh eggs
2. Frozen Eggs- these are pasteurized and must be thawed before use since they are all frozen
3. Pasteurized dried eggs- these come in powdered form. It is available in whole, yolk or whites depending on their use
such as white in preparing meringues. These eggs are used by manufacturers of cake mixes.

Kinds of Eggs Available in the Market

1. Hen’s egg
2. Quail eggs
3. Duck eggs
4. Goose eggs
5. Gull’s eggs

Types of Eggs According to How Hens are Fed and Confined

Omega- 3 The only difference between regular eggs and omega- 3 eggs is that the hens are with omega- 3 fatty
acid sources, such as flax seed. They are confined to cages and do not have access to litter, perches or
nests.

Nest- laid Nest- laid may seem promising, but this only means hens have access to a nest or perch within the
confines of their cage.

Cage- free Cage- free hens are not confined to a cage, however, that does not mean they have access to the
outdoors, or that there are any requirements for how much space they have or for what feed or
medicines they may be receiving.

Free- run Free- run hens are able to roam in open- range barns, but do not have access to the outdoors and may
not have access to natural light. However, they are usually provided access to nests, perches and litter

Free- range Free- range hens are able to roam in open- range barns and are given access to the outdoors.

Organic Organic hens meet the health and welfare standards with open range barns, natural light indoors, free
access to pasture outdoors and always have access to nests, perches and litter. They are also fed 100%
organic feed and are always provided with clean , fresh water