Seldom do we find such a universally accepted cooking ingredient that has so many culinary uses.
Apart from being fried, boiled, scrambled or made into omelette's, the egg can also be used whole to bind mixtures as in stuffing's or home made burgers, as a glue to stick things, like when used to coat something in breadcrumbs.
Eggs are used as a raising agent in cakes and batters.
A beaten egg can be use to provide a rich golden colour glaze.
Egg yolks thicken sauces and custards and can be used with oil to make dressings and mayonnaise.
Egg whites are used to make meringues, soufflés and mousses.
The way an egg is cooked can have an effect on its taste and texture.
Nothing more than a low to moderate heat is required.
Overheating or prolonged cooking will make the egg dry and rubbery.
Choosing your egg.
The shade of egg shell colour is a thing of personal preference and has no direct result on its culinary use or flavour.
Flavour is dictated by the breed of bird and the freshness of the egg itself.
For the best results, eggs that are to be fried, soft boiled or poached should be a fresh as possible but for general cooking older eggs are fine.
Testing for the freshness of an egg is quite simple.
All eggs have an air sac which increases as the egg ages.
You can test your eggs by putting them in a bowl of cold water.
If the egg lays flat on the bottom, the egg is likely less than a week old.
If there is a slight tilt in the way the eggs stands, then it is not at fresh as it could be and probably won't make a great soft boiled egg but is perfectly adequate for all other types of cooking.
If the egg floats, it is almost certain the egg is bad and should not be used.
Storing eggs.
Eggs are probably best stored in a cool place.
And should be used ideally within 2 weeks of being purchased.
They should be stored with the blunt end or large end up as this will keep the yolk centred.
Take care not to store eggs close to strong flavours as the egg shell is porous.
When using eggs for cooking meringues, it is best to separate the yolk and white when very cold and then leave the whites to get to room temperature before whisking.
Doing this will ensure that you get a large volume when beating.
For best results, eggs that are to be fried or poached are best used cold as this will help to keep the shape.
There are few ingredients, that can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes and that make an appearance in almost all our everyday cooking.