What about Eggs?
Eggs are extremely nutritious. Eating 6-7 eggs a week will not increase your risk of heart disease when eaten as part of a healthy eating program.
According to the Heart Foundation you can eat 1 egg a day or 2-3 egg filled meals a week. For further health information on eating eggs .... Heart Foundation
The healthiest ways to cook eggs are to boil, poach or scramble them using reduced-fat milk. What you eat with your eggs is important. They recommend trying to get 1-2 serves of vegetables when you eat eggs.
Eggs make great tummy fillers we quite often have a hard boiled egg as snacks whilst sailing. They are also easy to add chopped up to the top of a salad for a quick meal. For a great start to the day making a 3-egg omelette with our favourite fillings for a satisfying breakfast prior to a passage is a great way to starve off seasickness, as we find having a full stomach with non dairy/fatty foods is the best.
Storing Eggs
Avoiding temperature fluctuation is critical to egg safety. A cold egg left out at room temperature can sweat, facilitating the growth of bacteria that could contaminate the egg. Refrigerated eggs should not be left out for more than two hours. As cruisers it is difficult to buy eggs that have not been refrigerated as we tend to arrive in ports and don’t know when the local Farmers Markets are scheduled (East Coast of Australia Farmers Market Guide ). So if refrigerated is the only way you can purchase them, and you haven’t the refrigeration space consider freezing. we find this is an excellent method if we have the freezer space available.
Eggs are not like other cooking ingredients; they have some unique properties, so they need to be prepped before they can be frozen. Here are a couple of things you need to know before freezing:
- Never freeze eggs in the shell. They expand when frozen, so that's bad news.
- To freeze whole eggs (both whites and yolks), blend the eggs together first. Store in a freezer container with the date and number of eggs. Once thawed they'll be great for scrambled eggs, quiches and any other recipe that call for an entire egg.
- To freeze egg whites, separate them from the yolk making sure there's no crossover. For faster thawing and easier use, freeze individual egg whites in ice cube trays before storing. 3 tablespoons of egg mixture is the equivalent of one whole egg.
- Freezing egg yolks is a little trickier because the cold temperature can cause the yolk to thicken or gel. To avoid this, add 1/8 teaspoon salt to 1/4 cup of egg yolks if planning on using them in a savoury dish. Or, for sweet dishes, add 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar before freezing.
- Thaw eggs overnight in the fridge or under cold running water.
- Use whole eggs and egg yolks right away once thawed.
- Use thawed eggs only in dishes that cook the egg.
Testing if an egg is fresh.
A quick and fun test for egg freshness is to pop them in a basin of water. Fresh eggs will stay at the bottom of the bowl while older eggs float because of the large air cell that forms in its base.
Dehydrated Egg.
Commercially, dehydrated eggs are made by a technique called spray drying, where the liquefied eggs are first pasteurised, then dispersed through a spray nozzle or atomiser into a heated tank environment. Water is evaporated and the egg solids (already in powder form) collect at the bottom of the containment tank.
Additionally, commercially-dehydrated eggs are also “de-sugared,” which helps preserve the quality and appearance of the dried eggs. Without removing the sugars, dried eggs have a different colour and different characteristics. On the boat we provision with both fresh and powdered egg. For long passages into remote areas we can only carry fresh eggs for a short time before they spoil. While powdered/dehydrated eggs have a long use by date and other than the obvious a fried, poached or boiled egg, where only the real thing will do, we find the dehydrated egg no different to use.
For home dehydration, there are two tried and true techniques to dry eggs: the cook-dry method and the wet-dry method. If you want further instruction on this I found Blackwoods Home Magazine full of information http://www.backwoodshome.com/
Cooking Eggs
Boiled Eggs
Place the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Cover and bring the water to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat immediately to medium and gently boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute for a soft-boiled egg, 5 minutes for a medium-boiled egg, and 15 minutes for a hard-boiled egg.
Poaching Eggs
Pour cold water into a large saucepan until 8cm deep. Add 1 tbs of vinegar. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low (water should still be simmering around the edge).
Crack 1 egg into a shallow bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir water to create a whirlpool. Tip egg into water. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes for a soft yolk or 3 to 4 minutes for firm. Using a slotted spoon, remove egg from water.
Scramble Eggs
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| Scrambled Egg made on Dehydrated Egg. |
For every egg add 10mls of milk or cream and use butter to cook them.
Scrambled eggs are made by mixing eggs together with milk, cream or water to produce moist, soft folds or "clouds" of egg when cooked. Free-range eggs tend to have more flavour than battery-hen eggs and generally give scrambled eggs a richer yellow colour.
Crack the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. This is best done by first cracking each egg, one at a time, into a small bowl before sliding it into the mixing bowl, so that you can remove any blood spots or pieces of shell (to remove these, use the egg-shell half). Add milk and salt. Measure the milk carefully, as cooked egg will only hold a certain amount of liquid and too much will cause the egg to "weep" moisture. Use a fork to whisk the egg mixture lightly until the ingredients are just combined. The eggs should be mixed through evenly to ensure a consistent yellow without streaks of egg white (which will result in white streaks through the cooked eggs).
There is one main rule when cooking scrambled eggs: do not cook on heat that is too high, as this will cause the eggs to stick to the pan and become flaky and dry. Heat the butter in a medium, deep heavy-based frying pan over medium heat on the largest hotplate or gas burner (to ensure even cooking) for 1 minute or until the butter begins to foam. Swirl the pan to lightly coat its entire base with the butter.
Fried Eggs
Place a none stick frying pan over a medium heat, with ½ tablespoon of fat left from frying bacon (or olive oil) in it.
As soon as it is hot (with a very faint shimmer on the surface), carefully break in the egg.
Then turn the heat down to low and carry on cooking, tilting the pan and basting the eggs with the hot fat so that the tops of the eggs can be lightly cooked, too.
After about 1 minute, the egg will be ready, so remove the pan from the heat and then lift it out with a slotted kitchen slice. If you prefer your eggs Easy Side Over now is the time to flip the egg and cook for a further 30 seconds for soft yolks, 1 minute for hard yolks.
Let it rest on some kitchen paper for a couple of seconds before putting it on a warmed plate. If you would like to fry your eggs in butter, then you need to use a gentler heat and give them a bit longer, so the butter doesn't brown too much.
Omelette
Place 2 eggs, 1 tbs water, salt and pepper in a bowl. Water gives the omelette a fluffy texture. Use a fork to lightly whisk until well combined. Melt 10g butter in a 20cm (base measurement) non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. This ensures the butter and pan are hot enough to cook the omelette quickly underneath while the top remains soft.
Pour egg mixture into the pan and tilt so the mixture covers the base. As the omelette sets, use a heatproof plastic spatula or flat-edged wooden spoon to gently lift and stir, tilting the pan so uncooked egg runs underneath. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden and just set underneath. The top should still be slightly runny – it will continue to cook after you fill and fold the omelette.
Add classic fillings, such as ham, tomato and mushroom, or try something different. Sprinkle over a little crumbled goats cheese and rocket leaves or, for an Asian-style filling, top with crab, fresh coriander leaves and a little oyster sauce. Once you’ve added the fillings, lift one side of the omelette and fold it over to enclose the filling. Carefully slide onto a serving plate. Serve immediately.
Other Ideas
An egg is a trick for turning an otherwise ho-hum meal into a great one. If we're low on fixings and need to make a full meal out of just a few spare ingredients, a fried egg is one of the first things we think of adding.
Frittata: is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche or scrambled eggs, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables or pasta. The word frittata is Italian and roughly translates to "fried".
Over Green Salad: Not only does this make a striking presentation, but once you cut into it, the yolk becomes an instant salad dressing. We love the contrast of cool, crunchy greens with warm, tender egg.
Over Noodles or Other Grains: This is comfort food at its best. The yolk makes a creamy sauce that coats every noodle or grain in the dish. This is great with a handful of veggies (cooked or raw), or simply on its own.
On Pizza: All you have to do is crack a few eggs onto the top of a pizza just before it goes in the oven. By the time the crust is golden, white of the egg will be set and the centres still soft. You might have to eat this one with a knife and fork!
On Kale or Other Hearty Green: Bitter greens and rich egg are one of those perfect flavour combinations that has to be tasted to be believed. We especially like this with pinch of red pepper flakes or a few shakes of Tabasco Sauce.
On Toast: Ok, this one is pretty basic, we know. But if we're desperate for dinner and nothing else comes to us, a fried egg on toast never fails to satisfy. We like it just like that, but we'll also add avocado, a few slices of tomato, or a sprinkle of cheese if we have those around.
Baked Eggs: Baking eggs is a great alternative if you are staying away for butter. We love Sicilian Eggs, Eggs Baked in Avocado or in Filo Pastry Cups, these are all easy recipes that are a wow factor when served to guests.
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| Eggs Baked in Avocado Cups |
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| Filo Pastry Cup can be eaten hot or cold. |
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| Sicilian Eggs a favourite on Our Dreamtime |
One of Our Galleys favourite Recipes for you to try:
Kale Potato Frittata
Load more greens and eggs into your diet with this easy frittata. Play around and add your favourite flavours, vegetables & meats to this base as well. Perfect for lunches, mid-day snacks & easy dinner ideas. You can cook this in advance for a passage meal it is full of goodness.
INGREDIENTS
8 eggs
1 potato, washed skin on or off (you could also substitute for sweet potato)
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced or finely chopped
1 leek, chopped
Half bunch of kale – washed, chopped and stems removed.
(you can also use spinach, silverbeet or other leafy greens)
3 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil)
1/2 an egg plant diced
Himalayan Salt and cracked pepper to season
Your favourite herb and spice mix.
Optional extras feta, grated cheddar, ham, mushrooms etc ..
TIP: Not to many ingredients your you will make it to heavy to get out of the pan.
Let's get Cooking
Preheat over to 180 degrees
Over medium heat in an over proof pan/skillet, lightly fry the potato (chopped into bite sized pieces) in oil until soft & golden.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan to lightly fry the onion & garlic until soft.
Next, add in the leeks until golden & fragrant.
Add the kale to the pan – cook until the leaves wilt, then transfer the potato pieces back to the pan & season well with salt & pepper and herbs.
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl with salt & pepper – and if you wish to add a little grated cheese or feta to the mix now is the time! Approx. 1/3 cup of extra ingredients.
Once the potato & kale are nicely cooked, distribute evenly in the pan & pour the egg mixture over.
Lightly lift and swirl to distribute evenly, then turn the heat to medium/low and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes or until the egg mixture is almost set on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the pan to the oven (you can also add a little more cheese to the top if you wish) and leave until the egg is completely cooked but still soft. (2 – 4 mins)
Meanwhile in another skillet sauté the eggplant until tender and cooked.
Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the frittata from the pan and transfer to a plate ...
to serve top with eggplant and drizzle with your favourite Balsamic Glaze.
What recipes do you hero eggs in?
Leave your comments or share your favourite recipes below.
Kale Potato Frittata
Load more greens and eggs into your diet with this easy frittata. Play around and add your favourite flavours, vegetables & meats to this base as well. Perfect for lunches, mid-day snacks & easy dinner ideas. You can cook this in advance for a passage meal it is full of goodness.
INGREDIENTS
8 eggs
1 potato, washed skin on or off (you could also substitute for sweet potato)
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced or finely chopped
1 leek, chopped
Half bunch of kale – washed, chopped and stems removed.
(you can also use spinach, silverbeet or other leafy greens)
3 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil)
1/2 an egg plant diced
Himalayan Salt and cracked pepper to season
Your favourite herb and spice mix.
Optional extras feta, grated cheddar, ham, mushrooms etc ..
TIP: Not to many ingredients your you will make it to heavy to get out of the pan.
Let's get Cooking
Preheat over to 180 degrees
Over medium heat in an over proof pan/skillet, lightly fry the potato (chopped into bite sized pieces) in oil until soft & golden.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add a little more oil to the pan to lightly fry the onion & garlic until soft.
Next, add in the leeks until golden & fragrant.
Add the kale to the pan – cook until the leaves wilt, then transfer the potato pieces back to the pan & season well with salt & pepper and herbs.
Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl with salt & pepper – and if you wish to add a little grated cheese or feta to the mix now is the time! Approx. 1/3 cup of extra ingredients.
Once the potato & kale are nicely cooked, distribute evenly in the pan & pour the egg mixture over.
Lightly lift and swirl to distribute evenly, then turn the heat to medium/low and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes or until the egg mixture is almost set on the bottom of the pan.
Transfer the pan to the oven (you can also add a little more cheese to the top if you wish) and leave until the egg is completely cooked but still soft. (2 – 4 mins)
Meanwhile in another skillet sauté the eggplant until tender and cooked.
Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the frittata from the pan and transfer to a plate ...
to serve top with eggplant and drizzle with your favourite Balsamic Glaze.
TIPS from Australian Eggs
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