Transcript document

1. Avoid excessive temperatures
2. Avoid excessive cooking time
Other than the obvious two…flavor and color.
1. They cause foods to get thick… “thickening”
2. They serve as a “tenderizer”…
the opposite of tender is “tough”
3. They serve as a “binder”… holding the food together
4. They “clarify”…make liquids clear and transparent
5. They cause foods to get brown… “browning”
6. They “preserve texture”
7. They “enrich”… adding nutrients such as protein
8. They make foods rise… a “leavening agent”.
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AIR CELL
THICK ALBUMEN
INNER AND OUTER SHELL
MEMBRANES
SHELL
YOLK
VITELLINE
MEMBRANE
THIN ALBUMEN
CHALAZAE
Egg grades are based on
the shape of the yolk and
the amounts of thick and
thin whites.
Grade AA egg
Before they are sold, eggs
are graded. This used to be
done by holding the egg
over a bright light so you
could see through the shell.
This process was called
“candling”.
Grade A egg
The egg will lose quality as it ages.
The older an egg gets, the flatter the
yolk and thinner the whites.
A spoiled egg has a shiny shell and floats in
water. It is only AFTER you crack open the
egg that it smells bad, and by that time you
may have added the egg to your other
ingredients. That would be TOO LATE! If
you suspect that an egg may be spoiled, use
this water test first.
A fresh egg has a domed yolk (not
flattened). There is plenty of thick egg
white (notice both the thick and thin
whites in the picture) and the whites are
translucent (see-thru).
Some recipes call just for the
egg whites, while others call
only for the yolks. When
separating the two parts, be
careful not to break the yolk.
If a yolk does break and
gets into the white, use the
sharp edge of an empty
shell to scoop the yolk out
of the whites.
An “egg separator” utensil
such as this one can be
purchased by those who
have difficulty separating
eggs.
Egg whites start out being “slimy”. As they are beaten, air
is added. The whites turn from pale yellow to white in color
and increase in “volume”. The more volume…the better.
You should follow as many rules as possible for…
A. Eggs should be at room temperature
B. Don’t get any yolk mixed in with the whites
C. Use a smaller deep bowl, rather than a larger shallow one
D. Use a copper bowl
E. Make sure eggs are at least 3 days old
F. No grease residue allowed! (none on beaters, bowl, etc.)
A “meringue” is basically a mixture of beaten egg
whites and sugar. Although there are several types,
the most common use of meringue is as a topping
for pies.
If the oven temperature is too high, the
meringue will shrivel and shrink back from the
edges of the crust. Too low of temperature
causes the meringue to be dry.
If too much sugar is beaten into the egg
whites, yellow liquid “beads” will appear
on the baked and cooled meringue. This
is called “weeping”. It is an undesirable
quality…measure carefully!
You were probably using an aluminum
bowl or aluminum beaters, or perhaps
your nickel or chrome plated beaters
have a nick on the finish. Egg whites
exposed to aluminum causes them to
turn gray in color!
Were you using a copper bowl that had
traces of some sort of acid present…like
cream of tartar or lemon juice? The
metal copper in combination with
acid causes egg whites to turn a
greenish color!
EGGS USED FOR HARDCOOKING MUST BE AT
LEAST 3 DAYS OLD!
In eggs fresher than 3 days old,
the outer membrane adheres to
the shell during the cooking
process. When you try to peel the
egg, chunks of egg white cling to
the shell, and are removed when
the egg is peeled. What a mess!
Place the egg on it’s pointed end, and spin
it like a toy top. A hard-cooked egg will
spin, but a raw egg will topple over
immediately!
(The heavy yolk wobbles
back and forth inside, causing the egg to
topple over.)
1. Check eggs for
cracks. Cover with
cold water.
5. Cut eggs in
half lengthwise
and remove yolks.
2. Bring water to justunder-boiling. Time for
10 minutes.
6. Place yolks in a
shallow dish, such
as a pie plate.
3. Immediately cool eggs.
Overcooking allows the iron
in the yolk to reach the
outside of the yolk and leave
a green ring around the yolk.
4. Remove shells.
7. Thoroughly
mash yolks with a
fork.
8. Moisten with mayonnaise. Add mustard and
seasonings to taste.
9. Fill hollows of egg whites with the yolk mixture. Garnish as
desired. Paprika is a popular garnish…adding color and
sweetness.
1. Select a skillet
with sloping sides
and a lid. Non-stick
surfaces such as
teflon are ideal.
5. If you are adding
fillings such as diced
ham and grated cheese,
place those fillings on
only ½ of the egg
mixture. Adding the lid
at this time will help
heat the filling.
2. Beat whole eggs
and seasonings.
Usually 2 or 3 eggs
are used.
3. Melt butter in
skillet (even if teflon)
and add beaten eggs.
6.Using a spatula/turner,
carefully lift the unfilled
side of the cooked egg
mixture and fold it in half
over the filled side of the
omelet. Continue cooking
‘til filling is completely
done.
7. Carefully slide the
omelet out of the skillet
and onto a plate.
4. Carefully lift
edges of cooked
eggs, allowing
uncooked mixture
to run underneath.
8. Serve this “french
omelet” plain or with
condiments.
A “puffy” omelet is one in which stiffly beaten egg
whites are folded into egg yolks. It starts cooking on
the stovetop and finishes in the oven. It is not filled,
but often served with sauce.
A “custard” is any soft, egg-based dish. Unsweetened ones can be served
as main or side dishes, while sweet custards are served for dessert.
Real men don’t eat quiche! The delicate
flavors of this custard-based dish are often not
appreciated by the “meat and potatoes”
crowd. Served as a main dish for breakfast or
lunch, common quiche fillings include ham,
crumbled bacon, sausage, swiss cheese, and
vegetables.
Pumpkin pie and baked
custard cups are two
favorite dessert custards.
These custard cups are set in
a pan of water for baking. The
water moderates the baking
temperature.
Use the knife test to check a
custard for doneness. Insert the
knife halfway between the center
and the edge of the dish. If the
knife comes out clean…the
custard is done.
You cannot add egg yolks
directly to hot mixtures or the
egg will cook instantly and
cause lumps! You must first
“warm” the yolks. Begin by
slowly adding the hot mixture
to the beaten yolks while
stirring the yolks constantly.
Then reverse the procedure,
adding the warmed yolks to
the hot mixture. This
process of warming the
yolks first is called…
Are you looking for a challenge? Perhaps you should
try making a souffle’. Served as a main or side dish,
or sweetened and served as dessert…the key
ingredient of any souffle’ are the beaten egg whites
that are carefully folded in. The voluminous egg
whites cause the souffle’ to rise, but even a slight
vibration or temperature change may cause it to “fall”!
A traditional hollandaise is a mild egg, butter, and
lemon sauce that requires constant stirring. It is
served over green vegetables or “eggs benedict”.
Shown on the right, this consists of an English muffin topped with canadian
bacon, poached egg, and sauce.
This “high hat” souffle is
baked in a straight sided
dish. It rises above the
edge of the dish and
obtains a crown-effect.
• Preparing individuals for life and work
• Strengthening families
• Empowering communities
Created by Barbara L. Swarthout, Family & Consumer
Sciences teacher at Elkhorn High School