Cracking ways with eggs (From Dudley News)

Cracking ways with eggs

7:00am Saturday 6th October 2012 in NewsXtra

British Egg Week begins on October 1. With recent research revealing that today's eggs contain 70% more vitamin D and 20% less fat than those tested 30 years ago, we show you some cracking ways to cook with this kitchen cupboard staple.

By Diana Pilkington

The humble egg has had a tough time over the years. They were still rationed in the early Fifties, said to be linked with heart disease in the Seventies and, in the Eighties, Edwina Currie's remark about salmonella sent sales plummeting.

But these smooth-shelled kitchen staples are bouncing back. Recent research found that today's eggs contain 70% more more vitamin D and double the amount of selenium - a mineral believed to have various health benefits, including helping prevent certain cancers - than those tested 30 years ago.

They also contain around 20% less fat, more than 20% less saturated fat, 13% fewer calories and more than 10% less cholesterol than previous surveys suggested, according to data produced by the UK Foodcomp project and funded by the Department of Health.

The changes are thought to be down to improvements in hens' feed and an increase in the ratio of white to yolk in an average egg. Analytical methods have also improved since the 1980s, when the last official analysis was carried out.

A separate study found eggs were a great way to start the day, as they reduce hunger and boost hormones that make people feel full. And the commonly-held belief that we shouldn't eat more than three a week was dispelled by UK health advisory bodies in 2009.

Scientists concluded that cholesterol in eggs has only a small and clinically insignificant effect on blood cholesterol.

Singing the praises of these yolk-filled beauties, dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton says: "Eggs are suitable for all age groups - from weaning onwards. In addition, British eggs are among the safest in Europe, making them an ideal food for young and old."

If you need more incentive, British Egg Week begins on October 1, so open a box and get cracking!

Match your egg to your cooking method

Confused about how fresh your eggs should be? Try these tips from the British Egg Information Service:

:: Poaching: Use as fresh an egg as possible. This is because it is firm and viscous and the white will hold together in simmering water. An older egg will be weak and more outer white may break away in filmy strands in the water.

:: Boiling: If it is difficult to neatly peel the shell from hard boiled eggs, it's usually because they are too fresh. Eggs boil better when they are a few days old. If you have trouble peeling hard boiled eggs, try using the back of a teaspoon handle. Simply insert between the egg white and shell - easy!

:: Frying: The shape and texture of a fried egg depends on the thickness of the white and the temperature of cooking. A moderate heat is essential for perfect coagulation. Chef Paul Merrett adds: "When cooking with eggs, use the older ones for scrambling or omelettes because the egg is whisked up prior to cooking. For an egg dish that requires a good shape such as fried or poached, use the freshest eggs available."

Here are a few eggy recipes ideas for you to poach...

Glamorgan sausages with tomato salad

(Serves 4)

175g (6oz) breadcrumbs

110g (4oz) Caerphilly cheese, grated

1 small, trimmed leek, washed and very finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped parsley

½ tsp mustard powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 British Lion eggs, 1 separated

4 tbsp milk (optional)

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp vegetable oil

15g (½oz) butter

Sliced tomatoes, to serve

Parsley to garnish

In a large bowl combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, leek, parsley and mustard. Season to taste. Add one whole egg and one egg yolk and mix thoroughly. If necessary, add enough milk to bind the mixture together.

Divide the mixture into eight and shape into sausages about 10cm (4in) long.

On a large plate, beat the remaining egg white with a fork until frothy. Place the sausages on the plate and brush the egg white all over them, until evenly coated. Roll the sausages in the flour.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan and fry the sausages for five to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Serve hot or cold on a bed of sliced tomatoes and with a sprig of parsley.

:: Recipe extracted from Take A Box Of Eggs (Eaglemoss, £9.99)

Egg & smoked salmon timbales

(Serves 4)

175g (6oz) smoked salmon, cut into thin strips

1 tbsp lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

3 British Lion eggs

150ml (¼ pint) double cream

Melba toast to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas 4. Thoroughly butter four 150ml (¼ pint) ramekins and set them on a baking sheet. Put the salmon strips in a bowl, toss with the lemon juice and season with pepper. Divide between the ramekins.

Beat the eggs with the cream, then carefully pour into the ramekins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and just set. Serve the timbales at once with warm Melba toast, if using.

:: Recipe extracted from Take A Box Of Eggs (Eaglemoss, £9.99)

Japanese omelette

(Serves 2)

1 tbsp light olive oil

½ small red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced

4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

110g (4oz) beansprouts

25g (1oz) butter

110g (4oz) cooked king prawns roughly chopped

4 British Lion eggs, seasoned and beaten

2-3 tsp Japanese teriyaki sauce

Heat the oil in an omelette pan, add the pepper strips and spring onions and stir-fry for two to three minutes, until softened. Add the bean sprouts and heat through for one minute. Remove half of the vegetables from the pan and keep warm.

Add half of the butter and half of the prawns to the pan and heat until the butter is sizzling. Pour in half of the beaten eggs, stir until just starting to set, then continue to cook, lifting the omelette edges with a palette knife to allow the uncooked egg to run under.

Sprinkle the omelette with teriyaki sauce, carefully roll it up (with the aid of the palette knife) and turn out onto a warmed plate. Then sprinkle it with a little more teriyaki sauce, if wished, and serve at once. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Serve with a crisp green salad and some crusty bread.

:: Recipe extracted from Take A Box Of Eggs (Eaglemoss, £9.99)

Eggs florentine

(Serves 2)

1 tbsp white white vinegar

2-4 British Lion eggs

225g baby spinach leaves

1 large leek, trimmed, washed, halved and finely shredded

4 rashers smoked back bacon

4 tbsp low-fat plain fromage frais

1¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Buttered toasted wholemeal bread, to serve (optional)

Half fill a saucepan with water and add the vinegar. Bring the water to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Carefully break each egg into a cup and slide into the water. Simmer for three to five minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm in the water until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, rinse the spinach and pack into a saucepan without drying. Add the leek and mix together well. Cover and place over a medium heat for four to five minutes until wilted.

Preheat the grill to hot and grill the bacon rashers until cooked, turning once. Cut into slices.

Meanwhile, drain the spinach and leek by pressing the vegetables against the side of a colander or sieve to remove as much liquid as possible, and return to the saucepan. Stir in the fromage frais and nutmeg and add seasoning to taste.

Divide the spinach between two warmed plates and top with the bacon. Drain the eggs using a slotted spoon and place one or two on top of each pile. Dust with extra nutmeg and black pepper and serve with slices of hot buttered toast, if liked.

:: Recipe extracted from Take A Box Of Eggs (Eaglemoss, £9.99)

Spanish-style eggs

(Serves 2)

675g (1½lb) potatoes

Oil for deep frying plus 1 tbsp

½ onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

100g (4oz) chorizo sausage, diced

½ tsp paprika

400g (13oz) can chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp chopped parsley

Salt and ground black pepper

4 eggs

Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5cm slices. Parboil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 5 minutes then drain well.

Heat enough oil in a large saucepan to deep fry. Add the potatoes and fry until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Put to one side.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium-sized frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for three minutes. Add the chorizo and paprika and fry for a further minute. Remove the excess oil with a spoon.

Add the tomatoes and parsley to the onion and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Return the potatoes to the frying pan and stir to coat in the sauce. Make four wells in the mixture and drop an egg into each. Cover and cook over a gentle heat for three to four minutes until the white has set but the yolks are still runny. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread.

:: Recipe supplied by Eggs For Soldiers (eggsforsoldiers.co.uk)

:: British Egg Week runs from October 1 to 7, 2012. Visit www.britisheggweek.com

:: The first four recipes are extracted from Take A Box Of Eggs, published by Eaglemoss, priced £9.99.