QUARTER I

Prepare Egg, Cereal, and

Starch Dishes
Learning Outcome 2:
Prepare and Cook
Egg Dishes
Eggs may be cooked in a lot of ways:

Egg Dishes:

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.
Eggs may be cooked in a lot of ways:

Egg Dishes:

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
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
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.
Hard – Cooked Eggs

Cook small eggs for 12 minutes,

medium eggs for 13 minutes,
large eggs for 14 to 15 minutes,
and extra-large eggs for 15
minutes.
Coddled Eggs

Put cold eggs into already simmering

water and simmer for 30 seconds.
Soft-Cooked Eggs

Put cold eggs into already simmering

water and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Medium-Cooked Eggs

Put cold eggs into already simmering

water and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Poached Eggs

Poached eggs are prepared by

slipping shelled eggs into barely
simmering water and gently cooking
until the egg holds its shape. The
fresher the egg, the more centered
the yolk, the less likely the white is
spread and become ragged.
Poached Eggs

Poached eggs can be prepared in advance

and held safely throughout a typical service
period to make the workload easier during
service. Slightly under poach the eggs, shock
them in ice water to arrest the cooking
process, trim them, and hold them in cold
water. At the time of service, reheat the eggs
in simmering water.
Standard Qualities of Poached
Eggs and Cooked Eggs in the Shell

1. Bright, shiny appearance

2. Compact, round shore, not spread or
flattened
3. Firm but tender whites
4. Warm, liquid yolks
A good-cooked poached egg has a
compact, glossy, tender white,
and unbroken, thickened yolk
Critical factors:

1. quality of the egg

2. temperature
3. amount of liquid
4. the way the egg is put in the pan
Fried Eggs

Fried eggs call for perfectly fresh eggs, the

correct heat level, an appropriate amount
of cooking fat, and a deft hand. Fried eggs
may be served sunny side up (not turned)
or over (turned once). Fried eggs may be
basted with fat as they fry. Using very
fresh eggs is the only way to ensure a rich
flavor and good appearance of the finished
dish.
Standard Qualities of Fried Eggs

1. White should be shiny, uniformly set, and

tender, not browned, blistered or crisp at
edges.

2. Yolk should be set properly according to

desired doneness. Sunny side-up yolks
should be yellow and well rounded. In other
styles, the yolk is covered with a thin layer of
coagulated white.
Standard Qualities of Fried Eggs

3. Relatively compact, standing high.

Not spread out and thin.

4. A fried egg should have a yolk

covered with a thin film of
coagulated egg white and still
remain slightly fluid.
Standard Qualities of Fried Eggs

5. The egg white should be opaque,

firm and tender, not chewy, crisp or
brown.

6. A perfectly fried egg is a glory to

behold – crispy edges and a wobbly,
pinkish yolk.
Standard Qualities of Fried Eggs

8. It will provide a fried egg with a

slightly crispy, frilly edge; the white
will be set and the yolk soft and runny
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.
Scrambled Eggs

Choose eggs that are fresh, with intact shells.

Adding a small amount of water or stock
(about 2tsp/10ml per egg) to the beaten eggs
will make them puffier as the water turns to
steam. Milk or cream may be used to enrich
the eggs. Scrambled eggs can be seasoned
with salt and pepper, and/or flavored or
garnished with fresh herbs, cheese, sautéed
vegetables, smoked fish, or truffles.
Scrambled Eggs

Egg can be scrambled in a sauté pan or

on a griddle. Nonstick 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.
Scrambled Eggs

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. A good scrambled egg must not be
tough nor burned but completely coagulated
For flavor variations, the following ingredients
may be added to scrambled eggs before
serving.

Chopped parsley or other herbs

Grated cheese
Diced ham
Crumbled bacon
Sautéed diced onions and green bell
pepper
Diced smoked salmon
Scrambled Egg