December 2010 Daring Cooks Challenge: Poach (eggs) to Perfection!

Jenn and Jill have challenged The Daring Cooks to learn to perfect the technique of poaching an egg. They chose Eggs Benedict recipe from Alton Brown, Oeufs en Meurette from Cooking with Wine by Anne Willan, and Homemade Sundried Tomato & Pine Nut Seitan Sausages (poached) courtesy of Trudy of Veggie num num.

As a kid, I always thought soft-boiled eggs in the little cups were poached eggs; I didn't learn any better until hubby made me poached eggs not so long ago.  The challenge was to poach an egg; a few different recipes were provided.  I debated for a while, then decided to try my hand at Eggs Benedict.  I've been flirting with the idea of having a brunch get-together so it seemed sensible to add such a classic breakfast/brunch item to my repertoire. 

Hubby and I both fell madly in love with Eggs Benedict last night.  He had had  it once before at a restaurant and was unimpressed; it was my first time.  The salty butteriness of the sauce with an ever so slight kick of cayenne against the sweetness of the canadian bacon really bring this dish together.  

Eggs Benedict

(the Hollandaise sauce is courtesy of Alton Brown)

• 4 eggs (size is your choice)
• 2 English muffins*
• 4 slices of Canadian bacon/back bacon (or plain bacon if you prefer)
• Chives, for garnish
• Splash of vinegar (for poaching)

For the hollandaise (makes 1.5 cups):

• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. (5 ml) water
• ¼ tsp. (1 ¼ ml/1½ g) sugar
• 12 Tbl. (170 g/6 oz.) unsalted butter, chilled and cut in small pieces º
• ½ tsp. (2 ½ ml/3 g) kosher salt
• 2 tsp. (10 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

* for gluten free, use gluten free English muffins or bread of your choice
º for dairy free, use a dairy free margarine

Directions:

1. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer.

2. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces and set aside.

3. Whisk egg yolks and 1 tsp. (5 ml) water in a mixing bowl large enough to sit on the saucepan without touching the water (or in top portion of a double boiler). Whisk for 1–2 minutes, until egg yolks lighten. Add the sugar and whisk 30 seconds more.

4. Place bowl on saucepan over simmering water and whisk steadily 3–5 minutes (it only took about 3 for me) until the yolks thicken to coat the back of a spoon.

5. Remove from heat (but let the water continue to simmer) and whisk in the butter, 1 piece at a time. Move the bowl to the pan again as needed to melt the butter, making sure to whisk constantly.

6. Once all the butter is incorporated, remove from heat and whisk in the salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper (if using).

7. Keep the hollandaise warm while you poach your eggs in a thermos, carafe, or bowl that you’ve preheated with warm water.

8. If the water simmering in your pan has gotten too low, add enough so that you have 2–3 inches of water and bring back to a simmer.

9. Add salt and a splash of vinegar (any kind will do). I added about a tablespoon of vinegar to my small saucepan (about 3 cups of water/720 ml of water), but you may need more if you’re using a larger pan with more water.

10. Crack eggs directly into the very gently simmering water (or crack first into a bowl and gently drop into the water), making sure they’re separated. Cook for 3 minutes for a viscous but still runny yolk.

11. While waiting for the eggs, quickly fry the Canadian/back bacon and toast your English muffin.

12. Top each half of English muffin with a piece of bacon. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, draining well, and place on top of the bacon. Top with hollandaise and chopped chives, and enjoy!

Egg Drop Soup

Sorry I missed a couple of posts; hubby and I were both sick, so we pretty much didn't cook for a week and a half.  For most of my  life, I never understood why soup was considered the perfect food for sick people; I certainly never craved it when I was ill.  But something has changed.  While I was lying miserably on the couch, watching movie after endless movie, all I wanted to eat was gumbo.  While sick, hubby wanted egg drop soup (though he never got it).  After we mended, I was talking to my mom and she asked if I knew how to make egg drop soup.  It seemed like fate.  It was even more fated because the next day was chilly and wet and perfect for soup.  

 Now, I've always wanted to like egg drop soup, but every time I try it, I feel like I'm just drinking an egg yolk.  Ick! So I knew off the bat that I wanted our soup to be less thick than you get at a restaurant, but I had to balance that with the fact that hubby likes the thickness.  So, we worked together to find a consistency that worked for us.  That's what is so great about making such dishes for yourself!

I did a quick google search for recipes and chose this one because it was simple.  I then did a bit more searching on technique and found this site quite helpful! The egg drops turned out perfectly, both silky and wispy.  If possible, two people do this quite nicely. 

Egg Drop Soup

• 4 cups chicken broth/stock
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• salt to taste
• optional : a few drops of sesame oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/ cup water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-2 green onions, minced (omitted because I had none)

In a wok or saucepan, bring the 4 cups chicken broth to a boil.  Add white pepper and salt, plus sesame oil, if you're using it.  Cook for another minute.  If you'd like to thicken the soup, dissolve the cornstarch into the water.  Slowly pour it into the broth, stirring as you go, until you reach your desired consistency.  I probably used 2/3 of the mixture for ours.  Right before you add the egg, turn off the heat.  

This is where having a second person comes in handy.   One person holds a fork about 8 inches from the broth.   Slowly pour the egg through the fork tines.  While this is going on, the second person stirs the broth at a leisurely pace (hubby says "definitely not fast.... definitely not slow).  After a moment (it really takes no time at all), the egg drops are ready and the soup is finished.   (If you don't have a second set of hands handy, the author at the site I visited balanced the fork on a box of crackers and poured the eggs with one hand and stirred with the other.  Talent!)

Of course, you can garnish it with those minced green onions if you're fancy enough to have them.  =)

Spanish Tortilla

Time for something savory, my friends. This past semester, I had a professor from Barcelona. One of the last days of class, she made a few traditional dishes for us. One was the tortilla, a delicious combination of eggs, potatoes, and onions. It's like a really potato-intense omelet. Oh so delicious.


Spanish Tortilla

• 5 baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 9-10 eggs, well beaten
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

In a very large, very non-stick skillet, heat a few teaspoons of olive oil. Saute the potatoes and onions until they are thoroughly cooked and beginning to brown/golden. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind that you'll be adding alot of eggs, so if your potatoes seem perfectly salted, the eggs will dilute that.

Pour the eggs into the pan and make sure it's all mixed together, with everything evenly distributed. You'll want to cook on a medium low heat so that the eggs are cooked mostly through without burning the bottom. Once the eggs seem set, you'll need to get a large plate and use this to flip the tortilla over. Cook a bit longer until the eggs are to your liking.

The Barcelonans frequently eat this as a tapas, and as such, cut it into a bunch of small squares. Hubby and I cut it up like a pizza, because we're uncultured Americans. Haha. This made a great Christmas Eve day meal.

Bacon and Broccoli Quiche

So for a while, I've been playing around with the idea of making a quiche. Since hubby loves eggs, I thought it'd be perfect for him. Today at work, I talked to Amanda whose mom is queen of quiches and got the general low down on making it. Amanda favors broccoli and bacon, and what's good enough for Amanda is good enough for me! After looking through a cookbook at home to get a more fixed idea, I went to it.

My results were so-so. I should have used more salt, and my proportions were generally off. In theory though, quiche is great. I just have to fiddle with it a bit more.


Bacon and Broccoli Quiche:
all measurements are approximations

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream (you should have equal parts eggs and cream)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cheese
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into very small bits
• 4 strips bacon, cooked til crisp and then crumbled
• 1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 450F. Place pie crust in pie pan, then cover with a double layer of foil. Make sure you fit the foil tightly against the crust. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake another 4 minutes.

While the pie crust bakes, beat the eggs and cream together. Make sure they are very well combined. Season with salt and pepper, maybe 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. I also added garlic powder; use whichever spices and seasonings you prefer.

Once your crust is finished, put the broccoli and bacon into the pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese on top, almost covering up the veggies. Slowly pour the eggs over the top.

Lower the oven temperature to 325F. Bake the quiche for 45ish minutes.



Like I said, this recipe should be fiddled with. Use it as a rough guide if you wish to use it. Better than that, leave me tips on making a fabulous quiche!

Farmers market tomorrow!

Deviled Eggs

I grew up in a family that absolutely loved deviled eggs, but oddly we only made them for holidays and big family get togethers. I'm not sure why since they're so easy to make. You need a few ingredients that I'm sure most people have in their fridges and just a little bit of time.

Deviled Eggs:
(all measurements are approximate)

• eggs, depending on how many you want to make. I used 6. I would say plan an egg or two per person, unless you've got my husband, brother-in-law, or father in the room. Then, you need a dozen.
• 1 tbsp mayo
• 2 tsp mustard
• 2 tsp sweet pickle relish
• salt and pepper to taste

Boil the eggs, which usually takes 10 minutes. A good way to know if an egg is fully boiled is to take it and try to spin it on it's side on the counter-top. If it's undercooked, it'll roll all over the place; if it's cooked, it'll spin nicely.

Once the eggs have been boiled, cooled, and shelled, cut them in half, lengthwise. Obvious, I know. Remove the yolks; usually you can do this by gently squeezing the sides until the yolk pops out.

Place all the yolks in a medium bowl and break them up with a fork. Add in your mayo, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper. I never actually measure out my stuff; I do it by texture and taste. The yolk mixture should be thick and creamy. Add tiny bits more of each ingredient to get the taste the way you like it.

Now, you can just spoon a little bit of the yolk mix back into each egg half, or you can fancy and pip it in. Honestly, piped deviled eggs scare me. I like them to look a bit messy; it makes them look real and edible.

Some people like to sprinkle paprika on the eggs. I never do. This time, I sprinkled a bit of chives on top, which is a nice little complement. Some people do bacon bites. Garnish as you please!



Nom nom nom nom.

Finally, the tea eggs

Okay, so it took a bit longer than anticipated to get this updated. We went bowling with some friends.. I had a few drinks.. Tipsy blogging doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

After coming across a few links to tea eggs on -- wait for it.. wait for it .. -- TasteSpotting, I remembered that my friend in high school often had a tea egg or two for lunch (yay for traditional Chinese grandmothers who make lunch for high schoolers). Tim had me try it once, and I must have been ambivalent about it because I can't really remember it as good or bad. It's an intriguing idea though.. cooking a shelled egg in tea and spices... So I decided to try it for myself. I based my experiment off of this and this recipe. There was no way I was going to do half a dozen or more eggs, so I only did 3. And I could not find star anise, so I couldn't use that.

Tea Eggs:
eggs (start with a few eggs in case you aren't a fan)
2 black tea bags (I used an english breakfast tea because that was the closest I had)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 stick cinnamon
some whole cloves
tsp salt
tsp sugar

In a saucepan, submerge the eggs in water. Bring water to boil, then remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 15 minutes. Drain the water, then add cool water to help the eggs cool faster. Once you can handle the eggs, use a spoon and gently tap the egg until cracks appear in the shell. Do not remove the shell!
Pour 3 cups of water into the saucepan. Add the rest of the ingredients (remove the strings from the tea bags). Gently add the eggs. If they aren't completely covered in water, add more until they are. Simmer, covered, for 2 hours. Let the eggs soak for an additional hour.


Peel the eggs and enjoy. You can use them just like regular boiled eggs, though take into account their modified flavor.


I expected the tea and spices to add a stronger flavor than they did; instead it was a just a subtle hint of cinnamon and clove after chewing for a moment. Hubby was a little weirded out by the additional taste, especially since I didn't really explain much about them to him before popping a bit in his mouth. I'll probably give these a try again, once I have a better tea and star anise.

I'm back

So after illness and a crazy busy week, I'm got an update. It's simple - baked eggs - and I actually made them a few days ago, but my poor little blog deserves some attention. I promise I'll be better from now on.



Hubby loves eggs - have I mentioned this before? Well he does..he LOVES them.. now I come from a family not big on eating breakfast, so my egg repertoire is embarrassingly tiny. I know nothing about poached eggs or eggs benedicte. Luckily, we got this amazing cookbook for our wedding that had an easy recipe for baked eggs. They've got a similar texture to a boiled egg, but the cooking method allows for the addition of herbs and spices.

The recipe calls for 10 oz casseroles. I just use the little 3 oz (I believe) pyrex bowls we have - also from the wedding. Grease the casserole/bowl/dish well. Crack an egg into each dish.




Season the eggs with whatever you want. I think thyme is tasty with a little salt and pepper. Hubby loves Chachere's on his eggs. You can use whatever you want; I do.



So once you've gotten them seasoned, you're going to place the casseroles into a larger baking dish, then pour an inch of hot water around the dishes. Yay water-baths. Place this in the oven (preheated to 325-350). Bake for 25 minutes; if you want to add cheese - which you do - after 20 minutes take the eggs out and sprinkle cheese on them. They should look like the eggs pictured below (before cheese).


Bake 5 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the yolk comes out clean..or gooey if you like gross runny yolks - hubby does.


Mmmm blurry egg. I like the taste of eggs, so I like seasonings to complement and not dominate. Hubby wants salty-spiciness. We both agree that cheese is delicious. Hubby decided to have his eggs sandwiched between 2 buttered pieces of toast. They are much better than fried eggs I think, much more thick and dense.


I ate mine as-is. So good, so good. I highly recommend using thyme with eggs.