Learning Outcome 2

Prepare and Cook

Egg Dishes

Part 1
Market forms & Uses
of Eggs
At the end of the lesson, you are
expected to:
1. identify and prepare
ingredients according to standard
recipes;
2. identify the market forms
of eggs;
3. explain the uses of eggs in
culinary; and
4. cook egg dishes with
appropriate taste and seasoned in
accordance with the prescribed
standard.
 Market Forms of Egg
There are three market forms of eggs
namely: fresh, dried (whole, egg whites/egg
yolks), and frozen (whole, egg whites/egg yolks).
1. Fresh Eggs or shell eggs may be
purchased individually, by dozen or in trays of 36
pieces.
2. Frozen Eggs – are made of high quality
fresh eggs. They come in the form of whole eggs
with extra yolks and whites. Frozen eggs are
pasteurized and must be thawed before use.
3. Dried Eggs – are seldom used. Their
whites are used for preparing meringue. Dried
eggs are used primarily as ingredients in food
industry.
They are not commonly sold directly to
consumers.
Uses of Eggs in culinary
Egg is cooked in many ways. It
can be the main protein dish; it
can be a main or accessory
ingredient in dishes from
appetizers to desserts. It can be
cooked by dry heat, moist heat,
with or without oil, as simply or
as elaborately as one‘s inclination
for the moment. Indeed it can be
eaten anywhere.
 Effect of Heat on Eggs
1. Coagulation of proteins: white at 60-65°C,
yolk at 65-70°C. Beyond this
temperature, over coagulation occurs and
water is squeezed out causing shrinkage
resulting in a tough product.
2. Formation of greenish discoloration at the
interface of the yolk and white when egg
is overcooked .Due to the reaction
between the iron in the yolk and the
hydrogen sulfide liberated from the
sulfur containing ferrous sulfide.
Reaction is favored by
a. High cooking temperature
b. Prolonged cooking
Reaction is prevented by immediate cooling of
the egg (e.g. immersing in cold water) after
cooking
 Uses of Egg
1. Cooked and served ―as is‖, e.g.
in the shell – soft cooked ( 5
minutes simmering) or hard cooked (15
minutes simmering)
poached – cooked in simmering
water; addition of salt and vinegar
hastens coagulation
fried – keep low to moderate
temperature
scrambled – addition of sugar
delays coagulation; addition of liquids
and acids decreases coagulation point
omelet
2. Eggs as emulsifier
Lecithin and lysolecithin are
responsible for the remarkable
ability of egg yolk to act as an
emulsifying agent; both are
phosphoproteins containing polar
and non-polar ends such that the
polar end holds water while the
non-polar end holds the fat, thus,
prevent oil droplets in suspension
from coalescing.
3. As binding, thickening agent, and
gelling agents
~Eggs are useful as binding, thickening
and gelling agents because they contain
proteins that are easily denatured by heat
~Using whole egg requires lower
coagulation temperatures resulting in a
stiffer gel
~ Addition of sugar, raises coagulation
temperature producing softer, weaker gel
~Softer gel is produced with the
addition of scalded milk and acid
~In cooking custards, Bain Marie,
double boiler or steamer is used to avoid
boiling which can produce a porous custard
~ Soft custards are produced by
constant stirring.
4. As foam
~When egg is beaten albumen is
denatured, air is incorporated as white is
stretched into thin films
~ With continued beating, the air
cells are subdivided and volume is
increased
~Protein network dries up and
stabilizes the gas or air foams
Stages in foam formation
A. frothy – large air bubbles that flow
easily
B. soft foam – air cells are smaller and
more numerous; foam becomes
whiter; soft peaks are formed when
beater is lifted
C. stiff foam – peaks hold their shape;
when bowl is tipped, it holds, moist
and glossy
D. dry – moistness and glossiness
disappear; specks of egg white are
seen
E. Applications of foam in cookery
~as leavening e.g. in angel cake, sponge
cake, chiffon cakes
~ as meringue, e.g.
(a) soft meringue for topping of
cream, chocolate, or lemon pie, requires a
proportion of two tablespoons sugar per egg
white
(b) hard meringue for
confections, base of fruit pies or Sans Rival

Cake, requires a proportion of ¼ cup sugar

per egg white
~ structural and textural agent –
tenderness and fluffiness to products, e.g.
fluffy or foamy, soufflé, divinity, foam cakes,
popovers
5. As coloring and
flavoring agent

Egg Products
1. Balut from duck eggs
2. Pidan eggs
3. Century eggs
4. Pickled eggs
Eggs may be cooked in a lot of
ways:

Egg Dishes
A. Eggs cooked in a shell
Hard and soft-cooked eggs are cooked
this way. Eggs should only be simmered and
not boiled to prevent over coagulation which
would cause the eggs to be tough. The
optimum cooking time for eggs in shells is 20
to 25 minutes. To avoid cracking of the eggs
during cooking, refrigerated eggs should be
warmed at ambient temperature before
cooking. Before boiling, water at room
temperature should be used.
 Sometimes yolks of eggs may
become greenish during cooking.
This color is due to the formation of
iron sulfide. Darkening often occurs
in eggs wherein the pH of the
albumen is high. It may also be a
result of cooking too long at very
high temperature.
To avoid this, fresh eggs
should always be used. Eggs should
be cooked within a minimum period
and cooled immediately in running
water after cooking.
 B. Eggs prepared out of the shell

This method involves

breaking the egg and using
both the yolk and white during
cooking. Poaching, frying, and
the process of making
scrambled eggs or omelet are
some of the common methods
done.
Culinary Uses:
A. Eggs as a thickening agent
and binder

When used as a binder or

thickener, the hydrophilic colloids of
yolks and whites, due to the presence of
proteins are converted into a
hydrophobic colloid thus turning it into a
gel.
At high temperature, the gel
toughens. This explains why the white
becomes an opaque mass when cooked at
a temperature of 62°C. For egg yolk,
coagulation starts at 65°C.
B. Eggs as leavening agent
Baked products such as sponge
cakes, chiffon cakes, meringues, and
soufflés make use of eggs as leavened
resulting in a light, airy texture. This
is explained by the incorporation of air
during the beating of eggs. Foam is
formed when the albumen surrounds
a colloidal system of air bubbles.
When beating egg whites,
overbeating must be avoided as this
tends to stretch the albumen and
would result in a dry, watery
appearance.
 Why do you need to eat
eggs?
Eggs may be considered as "functional
foods". Functional foods are foods that may have
health benefits beyond their traditional
nutritional value. Eggs as functional foods
contain lutein and zeaxanthin that reduce
the risk of cataracts and macular
degeneration. Eggs may also belong to
"designer foods". Designer foods are foods
that have been modified through
biotechnology to enhance their quality or
nutritional value. Eggs as designer foods
contain omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty
acids and vitamin E. So learn now and
explore the various egg dishes below.
 Variety of Egg Dishes
Cooking Eggs in the Shell
Although the term boiled may appear in
the name, eggs prepared in the shell should
actually be cooked at a bare simmer for best
results. Eggs are cooked in the shell to make
hard- and soft-cooked and coddled eggs. They
may be served directly in the shell or they may
be shelled and used to make another
preparation, such as deviled eggs, or as a
garnish for salads or vegetable dishes.
Select a pot deep enough for the eggs to be
submerged in water. Have on hand a slotted
spoon, skimmer, or spider to remove eggs from
the water once they are cooked.
Learning Outcome 2
Prepare and Cook
Egg Dishes

Part 2
Types of Fried
Eggs
 Types of Fried Eggs

1. Sunny side up
Cook slowly without flipping
until white is completely set but yolk
is still soft and yellow.
Heat must be low or
bottom will toughen
or burn before top is
completely set.
2. Basted
Do not flip. Add a few drops
of water to pan and cover to
steam cook the top. A thin film of
coagulated white will cover the
yolk which should remain liquid.
3. Over easy
Fry and flip over. Cook just until
the white is just set but the yolk is still
liquid.
4. Over medium
Fry and flip over. Cook until
the yolk is partially set.
5. Over hard
Fry and flip over. Cook until the
yolk is completely set.
Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled eggs can be made in
two ways: the eggs can be stirred
constantly over low heat for a soft
delicate curd and a creamy texture, or
stirred less frequently as they cook for a
larger curd and
a firm texture.
Whether prepared
to order or to serve
on a buffet line,
scrambled eggs must
be served hot, fresh
and moist.
 Eggs can be scrambled in a sauté
pan or on a griddle. Non-stick surfaces
make it easy to prepare scrambled eggs
with a minimum amount of added fat.
Pans used for eggs should be reserved
for that use only, if possible. A table
fork, wooden spoon, or spatula is needed
for stirring the eggs in cooking.

Do not overcook scrambled eggs or

hold them too long. Overcooked eggs are
tough and watery and will turn green in
steam table. Scrambled eggs should be
soft and moist.
Omelets
The rolled, or French-style,
omelets start out like scrambled eggs,
but when the eggs start to set, they are
rolled over. A folded or American style,
omelet is prepared in much the same
manner, though it is often cooked on a
griddle rather than in a pan, and
instead of being rolled, the American
omelet is folded in half. There are two
other styles of omelets, both based upon
a beaten mixture of eggs, cooked either
over direct heat or in an oven.
 Choose eggs that are fresh, with intact
shells. As with scrambled eggs, the ability of
the egg to hold its shape is irrelevant, but fresh
eggs are preferable. Omelets can be seasoned
with salt, pepper, and herbs. Clarified butter
or oil is the most common cooking fat.

Omelets may be filled or garnished with

cheese, sautéed vegetables or potatoes, meats,
and smoked fish, among other things. These
fillings and garnishes are incorporated at the
appropriate point to be certain they are fully
cooked and hot when the eggs have been
cooked. Grated or crumbled cheeses will melt
sufficiently from the heat of the eggs, and are
often added just before an omelet is rolled or
folded.
 Two Factors for Making
Quality Omelets

1. High Heat.
This is an opposite to the
basic principle of low temperature
egg cookery. The omelet cooks so
fast that its internal temperature
never has time to get too high.
2. A conditioned omelet pan.
The pan must have
sloping sides and be of the
right size so the omelet can be
shaped properly. It must be
well seasoned or conditioned
to avoid sticking.
Suggested Omelet Fillings
Notes:
Options for filling an omelet: A pre-
cooked filling may be added to the eggs after
they have been smoothed into an even layer
and before the omelet is rolled.
Alternatively, the rolled omelet can be slit
open at the top, and a pre-cooked filling can
be spooned into the pocket.

To give the omelet, additional sheen,

rub the surface lightly with butter.
A perfect omelet is fluffy, moist and tender,
soft in the center, yellow in color with no
brown at all or just a hint of it, oval in
shape, and all in one continuous piece
Baked Eggs

Baked eggs are also quick and

easy to prepare.
1. Place a little butter in a
custard cup. Put the cup in 175°C
(350°F) oven until the butter melts.
2. Break an egg into the cup,
and sprinkle with salt and pepper,
then top the egg with a little milk.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or
until the egg white is set.