Consider the Egg

In her timeless collection of essays, How to Cook a Wolf, MFK Fisher devotes an entire section to the humble, wholesome egg. With this book, published in 1942, she intended to entertain and inspire people to economize gracefully and tastefully despite the imposition of rationing during the Second World War. In this particular essay entitled “How not to boil an egg,” Fisher describes the simple pleasures of a properly cooked egg, which must be eaten fresh or not at all. Without the benefit of widespread refrigeration, eggs were deemed perishable and--unless one had hens of ones own--were something of a commodity.

Though Fisher’s praise of the egg is ever relevant, her concerns about price and freshness are, thankfully, outdated. Today eggs are one of the cheapest sources of protein available and are ideal nourishment for anyone on a budget.

The egg is, in essence, a self-contained, nutritious environment for a potential embryo. Therefore, it is no surprise that it is second only to mother’s milk as the ideal food for people. Full of amino acids, protein, and varying amounts of 13 different vitamins, eggs are also moderately lean, containing about 5 grams of fat apiece.

There are probably hundreds of ways to prepare an egg. Poached, boiled, shirred, fried, pickled, whipped, and swallowed quickly, in one gulp, raw. And, like any fine actor, it plays supporting roles as deftly as leading ones. The egg is essential to most baked goods and desserts, to mayonnaise, custard, soufflet and quiche; it enriches, binds, gives levity and fluffs, softens, smoothes and fortifies.

Perhaps the simplest way to cook an egg is to boil it—or, as Fisher put it, not to boil it. That is, the best method of “boiling” eggs is to place them in a pot full of cold water, bring the water to a simmer, and turn off the heat. Because the protein in eggs toughens with intense heat, they shouldn’t be boiled directly. This kind of aggressive cooking also leads to a sulfurous stench and an unsightly green tinge around the yolk. Once the water has cooled, or after about 15 minutes, the eggs are ready to be submerged in ice water and peeled.

Eat it bare, or sliced on toast with salt and pepper; chopped and stirred into tuna, chicken, or potato salad; or crumbled over spinach with blue cheese and bacon. Chop several boiled eggs, then stir them into mayonnaise, minced celery and onion, and eat on a sandwich with a smear of chutney or fruit jam.

Another great food writer, Elizabeth David, wrote a book called An Omelet and a Glass of Wine, which evokes the elegant simplicity of the dish, not purely a breakfast food, but a proper meal at any hour.

A true omelet is difficult to master but worth every minute of practice. Because it involves high heat and constant, rapid agitation of the skillet, it’s easy to slosh or burn.

A good batch of scrambled eggs, however, involves less skill and anxiety. If preparing with other dishes, for Sunday brunch, for example, don’t begin the eggs until everything else is done. Scrambled eggs lose their luster within minutes of being cooked, and guests should be seated and ready to eat.

5 eggs
5 tablespoons milk
1 pat butter
Kosher salt
Ground pepper
Extras: chopped ham or bacon, sautéed onions, mushrooms, cheese (feta, goat, cheddar, swiss), spinach or herbs (parsley, tarragon, basil)

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs and milk with a fork. Melt a pat of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium low heat until it bubbles. Stir a pinch of kosher salt into the egg mixture then pour into the pan, stirring slowly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. As soon as curds begin to form, turn the heat up to high, add any remaining ingredients, and use the spatula to fold the edges over themselves while gently shaking the pan so that the liquid settles to the bottom. As soon as there is no more liquid running to the bottom, but the eggs still look a little slick, remove from heat and serve. They will continue to cook from their own heat and shouldn’t be dry in the pan.

Tips:
*Fresh eggs sink in cool, salted water; rotten ones float.
*Check all eggs before purchasing. Cracked ones may have begun to spoil and can make one very, very ill.
*For fluffier omelets or scrambles, add a pinch of cornstarch before whisking briskly.