5.2.2 Pre Read.docx

Contents {#contents.TOCHeading} ======== [Boiling Eggs 1](#boiling-eggs) [Soft Boiled Eggs 1](#soft-boiled-eggs) [Cooking 1](#cooking) [Peeling 2](#peeling) [Jammy eggs 2](#jammy-eggs) [Cooking 2](#cooking-1) [Peeling 2](#peeling-1) [Hard Boiled Eggs 2](#hard-boiled-eggs) [Cooking 3](#cooki...

Contents {#contents.TOCHeading} ======== [Boiling Eggs 1](#boiling-eggs) [Soft Boiled Eggs 1](#soft-boiled-eggs) [Cooking 1](#cooking) [Peeling 2](#peeling) [Jammy eggs 2](#jammy-eggs) [Cooking 2](#cooking-1) [Peeling 2](#peeling-1) [Hard Boiled Eggs 2](#hard-boiled-eggs) [Cooking 3](#cooking-2) [Peeling 3](#peeling-2) [Serving Boiled Eggs 3](#serving-boiled-eggs) Boiling Eggs ============ Immersing an egg, shell, and all, in boiling water is the simplest way to cook it. Eggs cooked whole, without stirring or beating, require mild heat to preserve whites soft and yolks moist whether fried, boiled, poached, baked, or steamed. Except this restriction, the methods differ greatly in the demands they place on the chef. The process of cooking eggs in water without breaking their shells is known as boiling, but the water needs to be at a simmer to prevent toughening the whites. Eggs can be cooked in water at a simmer until they are soft-boiled, medium-boiled, or hard-boiled. Since the cooking is hidden, precise timing is crucial: Eggs can take anywhere from three minutes to ten minutes to cook, depending on whether they are to be eaten in the shell or not. The egg white needs to be kept soft if it\'s going to be consumed directly from the shell. Soft Boiled Eggs ---------------- A soft-boiled egg a is whole egg that has been simmered in water until the white is set but still soft and the yolk is still runny inside. It takes 3 to 4 minutes to cook, and many chefs use the terms \"3-minute egg\" or \"4-minute egg\" to indicate the level of doneness they prefer. With the latter, the white is totally set, whereas with the former, there may be a small amount of unset white surrounding the yolk. ### Cooking #### Technique A: - Bring your water to a slow boil (the water should not be rolling with big bubbles) - Gently place the eggs in the water using a spoon, and when the water comes back to a boil, lower it to a simmer. - Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes -- 5-7 minutes if the eggs are straight from the fridge. - Then remove with a slotted spoon, transfer to the colander, cool under cold running water to stop the cooking, and serve warm. #### Technique B: - Place the eggs in an empty pot and submerge with cold water. - Bring the water to a slow boil and then lower to a simmer, cook for 1 minute -- 3-5 minutes if the eggs are straight from the fridge. - Remove and drain as described above. ### Peeling Soft boiled eggs aren't peeling the way hard boiled eggs are. That\'s because, its yolk isn't just soft, it\'s still extremely liquidy and the white is still very soft. Instead, they eggs are served by slicing off the top of the shell and then serving it in an egg cup that holds the egg upright while you do the slicing and eating. If you want to try a soft-boiled egg and you don\'t have an egg cup, you can always use a shot glass in a pinch. Jammy eggs ---------- A jammy or medium boiled egg is one that has more stability than a soft boiled egg but isn't as firm as a hard boiled egg. It is generally boiled for 7-9 minutes to achieve the perfect jammy texture. A medium boiled egg is often tricky to achieve as time, water temperature and the size of the egg play a huge role. ### Cooking - Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. - Then, lower the eggs into the water and turn the heat down to maintain a simmer that moves the surface of the water with bubbles here and there. - Set a timer for exactly 7 minutes. If your eggs are straight from the fridge, boil them for 9 minutes instead of 7. - Set up a bowl of ice cubes and water. - When the timer goes off, remove the eggs from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and plunge them into the prepared ice water. Let them sit, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. ### Peeling Since the eggs will hold better than soft boiled eggs, they may be peeled and served without the entire shell. They may also be served like soft boiled eggs, with just the top cut off in an egg cup. Hard Boiled Eggs ---------------- Eggs that have been hard-boiled are a delicious snack or addition to salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Although it may appear easy to hard boil an egg, it requires precise timing to produce a hard-boiled egg without cracks or ugly green yolks. A hardboiled egg is one that is perfectly cooked all the way through with neither the yolk or egg white being soft and undercooked. The size of the egg plays a huge factor in how long it takes to hard boil an egg. Large eggs will cook in 15 minutes, and medium eggs in 12 minutes. To avoid overcooking or undercooking, set a timer. The eggs will overcook and develop a gray green yolk if left in hot water for too long. ### Cooking - For even heating and cooking, the eggs should be placed in a single layer on the bottom of the pot; do not stack the eggs. The pot should also be able to hold enough water to more than cover the eggs. - Cover the eggs with cold water, at least 1 inch above the eggs. - Eggs may crack in the pot, to prevent it from spilling out of the shell, try adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar in the water. Beware this may add a slight flavour. - Place the pot over medium-high heat, without a lid, and allow it to come to a rolling boil, which is indicated by large, vigorous bubbles. Bringing the pot to a boil without a lid slows down the heating process and likelihood of the eggs cracking. If you notice streams of bubbles coming out of the eggs, that is because of the air in the egg. Expanding air in the egg escapes through the tiny pores in the egg\'s shell. If the eggs heat too quickly, the air will expand faster than it can escape, increasing pressure inside the egg and causing the shell to crack open. - As soon as the pot reaches a full boil, remove it from the heat. - After removing the pot from the heat, place a lid on top and let it sit undisturbed. This is where your timing needs to be precise. If the eggs sit in the hot water too long, they will overcook and end up with a green yolk. - Large eggs need 15 minutes, and medium eggs need 12 minutes. Set a timer to prevent over or undercooking. - When the timer goes off, carefully remove the eggs from the pot with a spoon and place them into a bowl full of ice water. The ice bath will cool the eggs quickly and stop the cooking process. The ice water will also cause the egg to contract and pull away from the shell, which will make it easier to peel. Let the eggs sit in the ice bath for at least 5 minutes. ### Peeling To peel the egg, lightly tap it on a hard surface to crack the shell. Once the shell is cracked all the way around, it should easily peel away from the egg. After the shell is removed, briefly rinse the egg under water to remove any small bits of shell that may still be attached. Any eggs that you do not plan to eat immediately should be left unpeeled and refrigerated. Unpeeled hard-boiled eggs will stay good in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serving Boiled Eggs ------------------- Boiled eggs can be served in a number of different ways, with a range of condiments and sides to go with it. It may also be served as part of other dishes, as mentioned earlier. Common seasonings and condiments served with boiled eggs include, the classic salt and pepper or more daring flavours like chilli oil or sriracha may be used. These may be served at breakfast time with a side of toasted bread, commonly called soldiers. A soft or hard boiled egg may also be served as an a topping to sandwiches, salads and even ramen.