ECHO 2016 COLLEGE MAGAZINE

HOTELIER’S ARTICLE
Unbreaking The Egg
he egg is a complex, biological
Tpowerhouse of nutrients with
innumerable culinary uses. One large
egg contains 70 calories, 6 grams of
protein, 5 grams of fat, (of which only
1.6 grams are saturated), and at least
14 vitamins and minerals. Most of the
nutrients and 45% of the protein are in
the yolk. The white contains mostly
protein. Egg protein is one of the
highest quality proteins on the planet,
second only to breast milk. And while
one large egg contains 213 mg. of
cholesterol, it is saturated fat
consumption that is more related to
serum cholesterol levels than actual
cholesterol consumption itself. Thus,
with only 1.6 grams of saturated fat,
eggs are not as unhealthy for your
heart as generally supposed.
FAST EGG FACTS:
1. Eggs are graded, in descending
order, AA, A, and B. Grades are
based on quality which is influenced
by the egg’s freshness. Grade A is
the most common grade found in
supermarkets.
2. Brown eggs are no different than
white eggs in terms of taste or
nutrition. They merely signify a
different breed of hen.
3. Store eggs in their carton. Eggshells
are porous and absorb surrounding
odors inside your fridge.
4. It is easier to separate the yolk from
the white with a cold egg.
5. To whip egg whites to maximal
v o l u m e , s t a r t w i t h r o o m
temperature whites, ensure there is
no yolk in them, and use a copper
bowl. Copper bowls produce the
most stable and voluminous
whipped egg whites because of the
interaction between copper ions and
proteins.
6. To determine the freshness of an egg
submerge it in water. Eggs have an
air pocket that grows with time.
Fresh eggs will lay flat on their side
in water.
As they age the one end will start to
rise. If your egg floats, don’t eat it.
7. For scrambled eggs, heating the pan
before adding the eggs will reduce
sticking.
8. Egg whites lose their integrity with
age. Thus, fresh eggs are best for
poaching since the white will
disperse less. Adding vinegar and/or
salt to the water will further reduce
its diffusion.
9. Older eggs are best for hard-cooked
eggs. (Culinary professionals avoid
the term hard-boiled since the eggs
are not actually boiled). The higher
pH of older eggs allows the shells to
peel easier. Thus, don’t add vinegar
to the water for hard-cooked eggs.
Over cooking causes greenish
blemishes, the result of a reaction
from the iron in the yolk with the
sulfur in the white. For perfectly
hard-cooked eggs, warm the eggs in
hot tap water. This reduces the
chance of them cracking. Then
place them in cold water and bring to
a boil. The instant it boils remove
them from the heat and allow them
to steep, covered, for 12-13 minutes.
Then submerge in cold water to stop
the cooking.
Tired of the usual methods for
preparing eggs? Try a frittata, i.e., an
Italian omelet. Unlike a French omelet
where the egg is folded over the
ingredients, the ingredients are
actually mixed into the eggs
Chef. Venugopal Rao. A
Corporate Chef
Karak Gholam, Al Mejhem Global Group Co.
Al Salamiya, Kuwait
28 ECHO - 2016