How to cook Baked Eggs Florentine | DIY Style

JD

October 08, 2019

0

breakfast, egg-recipe, healthy-food

Almost any food is more appealing when it comes in a neatly packaged individual serving. This recipe re-imagines eggs Florentine, with its hearty spinach and creamy sauce, as a simple baked egg dish; no tricky
poaching or last-minute assembly required. To achieve the elegant ideal of a perfect-set-white, runny-yolk egg, we added raw eggs to preheated ramekins, ensuring that the egg whites cooked before the yolks had a
chance to lose their runniness. The spinach sauce, which we used to line each ramekin, provided a buffer between the eggs and the scorching ramekin walls. Use 6-ounce ramekins with 3¼-inch diameters, measured from the inner lip. It is imperative to remove the eggs from the oven just after the whites have turned opaque but are still jiggly— carryover cooking will finish the job. We developed this recipe using a
glass baking dish; if using a metal baking pan, reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup half-and-half
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup)
• Salt and pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon dry mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Vegetable oil spray
• 6 large eggs

Cooking Procedure

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Transfer thawed spinach to piece of cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to remove excess water.
2. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in half-and-half; bring mixture to boil, whisking constantly. Simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in spinach, Parmesan, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne.
3. Lightly spray six 6-ounce ramekins with oil spray. Evenly divide spinach filling among ramekins. Using back of spoon, push filling 1 inch up sides of ramekins to create ⅛-inch-thick layer. Shape remaining filling in bottom of ramekin into 1½-inch-diameter mound, then make a shallow indentation in center of mound large enough to hold yolk. Place filled ramekins in 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish. Bake until filling just starts to brown, about 7 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking.
4. While filling is heating, crack eggs (taking care not to break yolks) into individual cups or bowls. Remove baking dish with ramekins from oven and place on wire rack. Gently pour eggs from cups into hot ramekins,
5. centering yolk in filling. Lightly spray surface of each egg with oil spray and sprinkle each evenly with pinch salt. Return baking dish to oven and bake until whites are just opaque but still tremble (carryover heat will cook whites through), 6 to 8 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking.
6. Remove dish from oven and, using tongs, transfer ramekins to wire rack. Let stand until whites are firm and set (yolks should still be runny), about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Baked Eggs Lorraine - Variation recipe

Slice white and green parts of 1 pound leeks thin and wash thoroughly. Cook 2 slices bacon, cut into ½-inch pieces, in medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel–lined plate. Add leeks to pan and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer leeks to plate with bacon. Proceed with recipe, omitting shallot and reducing butter to 1 tablespoon. Substitute bacon and leek mixture for spinach and ½ cup shredded Gruyère cheese for Parmesan.

WHICH FROZEN VEGETABLES ARE BEST? Chef's Idea

Frozen vegetables can be a great option; besides being convenient, vegetables are often frozen at the peak of freshness. However, some vegetables freeze better than others. As a rule, vegetables with a lower moisture content generally freeze well, while their high moisture counterparts turn mushy and develop off-flavors. (High-moisture spinach is an exception because it doesn’t need to retain its shape in most cooked dishes.) Taking that into consideration, here are the frozen vegetables we like best, as well as the ones we don’t recommend.

First-Rate: Corn, Lima Beans, Pearl Onions, Peas, and Spinach

Frozen versions of these vegetables can even be preferable to fresh versions, depending on the season.

Acceptable in Some Situations: Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, and Green Beans

These are acceptable options for soups, stews, and long-cooked dishes, where their less-than-crisp texture isn’t a factor. But we always prefer fresh when these vegetables are the main component of a dish.

Just Skip: Asparagus, Bell Peppers, Mushrooms, and Snow Peas

These high-moisture vegetables do not freeze well, and you should avoid them both on their own and in frozen vegetable medleys.

How to cook Classic Cheese Omelet with a Twist

JD

October 08, 2019

0

breakfast, egg-recipe, healthy-food

A quick and creamy cheese omelet makes the perfect breakfast for two (or an easy dinner!), and once you master the basic technique of cooking the eggs and shaping the omelet, you can vary the filling to suit any taste. A good nonstick skillet is essential for perfectly stick-free omelets, since the eggs need to move freely so that the omelet can be folded over itself. To ensure the cheese melted before the eggs overcooked, we finely shredded it and removed the pan from the heat after adding the cheese to the eggs. The residual heat was enough to melt the cheese without overcooking the omelet. This technique gave us the results we had been looking for: moist and creamy eggs, with plenty of perfectly melted cheese. You can substitute cheddar, Monterey Jack, or any semisoft cheese for the Gruyère. Making perfect omelets takes some practice, so don’t be disappointed if your first effort fails to meet your expectations.

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted
• 6 tablespoons finely shredded Gruyère cheese

Cooking Procedure

1. Place 3 eggs in small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and beat with fork until combined. Repeat with remaining 3 eggs in separate bowl.
2. Melt 1½ teaspoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 bowl of egg mixture and cook until edges begin to set, 2 or 3 seconds. Using heat-resistant rubber spatula, stir eggs in circular motion until slightly thickened, about 10 seconds. Use spatula to pull cooked edges of eggs in toward center, then tilt skillet to 1 side so that uncooked eggs run to edge of skillet. Repeat until omelet is just set but still moist on surface, 20 to 25 seconds. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons Gruyère across center of omelet.
3. Off heat, use spatula to fold lower third (portion nearest you) of omelet over filling; press gently with spatula to secure seams, maintaining fold.
4. Run spatula between outer edge of omelet and skillet to loosen. Pull skillet sharply toward you a few times so omelet slides up lip of far edge of pan. Use spatula to fold far edge of omelet toward center. Press to secure the seam. Invert omelet onto warm plate. Tidy edges with spatula, brush with half of melted butter, and serve immediately.
5. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining 1½ teaspoons butter, remaining egg mixture, remaining 3 tablespoons Gruyère, and remaining melted butter.

Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Filling

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 thinly sliced shallot and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 5 ounces trimmed asparagus, cut on bias into ¼-inch lengths; pinch salt; and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until asparagus is crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer asparagus mixture to bowl and stir in 1 ounce chopped smoked salmon and ½ teaspoon lemon juice. Add half of filling with Gruyère in step 2 and remaining filling to second omelet with Gruyère in step 5.

Mushroom Filling

Melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 minced small shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add 2 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick, and cook

until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add half of filling with Gruyère in step 2 and remaining filling to second

omelet with Gruyère in step 5.

Chef's Tip: TRADITIONAL VS. NONSTICK SKILLETS: WHEN TO USE
WHICH FOR WHAT?

One of the big differences between types of skillets is whether the surface is traditional or nonstick. Traditional skillets are made from materials that allow food to adhere slightly, which is ideal for creating the browned bits of fond that are the foundation of a great seared steak or pan sauce. Nonstick skillets, on the other hand, have a coating that keeps food from sticking to minimize the need for lubricating fat. This makes it easier to cook delicate foods and also facilitates cleanup (see this page for more information about types of

skillets). A nonstick skillet is particularly useful in a recipe like this one since you need to be able to move the cooked omelet around in the pan to successfully fold it; however, we don’t think you need a specially designed omelet pan for this task. We also prefer nonstick skillets for stir-fries; they’re actually better suited to this task on most home stovetops than a wok would be. Other delicate ingredients that are well suited to nonstick are fish and seafood, and lean meats like chicken, turkey, and pork (as long as you’re not making a pan sauce that requires a fond).

Easy-Peel Hard-Cooked Eggs - The easy trick in cooking

JD

October 02, 2019

0

egg-recipe, tasty-food-recipe

A hard-cooked egg that’s just cooked through, with no chalkiness (or greenish tinge) to the yolk, is plenty good on its own sprinkled with salt, and it can also be used in myriad other ways. Cooking methods abound,
but we found that steaming, followed by an ice bath to halt the cooking, not only guarantees perfect eggs but also results in shells that slip off easily. Why? Hot steam hitting cold eggs rapidly cooks the outermost egg white proteins, which shrink away from the membrane. Be sure to use large, cold eggs that have no cracks. You can cook fewer than six eggs without altering the timing, or more eggs as long as your pot and steamer basket can hold them in a single layer. If you don’t have a steamer basket, use a spoon or tongs to gently place the eggs in the water. It does not matter if the eggs are above the water or partially submerged. Unpeeled cooked eggs can be stored in their shells in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Ingredients

6 large eggs

Procedure

1. Bring 1 inch water to rolling boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Place eggs in steamer basket. Transfer basket to saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook eggs for 13 minutes.
2. When eggs are almost finished cooking, combine 2 cups ice cubes and 2 cups cold water in medium bowl. Using tongs or spoon, transfer eggs to ice bath; let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Crack wide end of each egg against a hard, flat surface. Starting at wide end of each egg, peel away shell. When done, dunk peeled egg back into ice bath to remove any stray bits of shell (if necessary).

Soft-Cooked Eggs

With a set white and fluid yolk, these have the appeal of poached eggs but are less fussy and can be eaten out of the shell. Precise timing is critical, so use a digital timer. You can use this method for one to six large, extra-large, or jumbo eggs without altering the timing. We recommend serving these eggs in egg cups and with buttered toast sticks, or soldiers, for dipping, or simply use the dull side of a butter knife to crack the egg along the equator, break the egg in half, and scoop out the insides with a teaspoon and serve as you would a poached egg—over toast, salad, or cooked vegetables. After adding steamer basket with eggs to saucepan of boiling water, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 6½ minutes. Remove cover, transfer saucepan to sink, and place under cold running water for 30 seconds. Remove eggs from saucepan and serve, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

THE EGG-DONENESS CONTINUUM

The fundamental challenge in egg cookery is that an egg is not really one ingredient but two: the white and the yolk. And each solidifies at different temperatures: Whites start to thicken at 145 degrees and are fully set at 180. Yolks begin to thicken at 150 degrees and are fully set at 158; this narrow range means that just a minute or two of timing can completely change the consistency of your eggs, from creamy to fully set to overdone, as the photos below show. Our steaming method ensures a consistent temperature, allowing us to nail down more precise timing than boiling would, since adding eggs to a pot of boiling water lowers the temperature of the water. Just make sure to set a timer!

Dinner Style Fried Eggs Variation - How to cook your own at home

JD

October 02, 2019

0

egg-recipe, tasty-food-recipe

This method produces diner-style fried eggs with crisp edges and a runny yolk. If, like us, you have struggled with whites that never fully set up or yolks that overcook, it’s a game changer. The first thing to do is to reach for a nonstick skillet; there’s no point in frying eggs in anything else. Next, don’t skip preheating: It ensures the pan’s surface will be evenly hot, which is extra important for quick-cooking foods like eggs. Once you raise the heat, don’t dawdle: Each step from here takes under a minute. When checking the eggs for doneness, lift the lid just a crack to prevent loss of steam should they need further cooking. To fry just two eggs, use an 8-inch nonstick skillet and halve the amounts of oil and butter. You can use this method with extra-large or jumbo eggs without altering the timing.

Ingredients

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 large eggs
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

Procedure

1. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over low heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, crack 2 eggs into small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with remaining 2 eggs and second small bowl.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and heat until oil is shimmering. Add butter to skillet and quickly swirl to coat pan. Working quickly, pour 1 bowl of eggs in 1 side of pan and second bowl of eggs in other side. Cover and cook for 1 minute. Remove skillet from burner and let stand, covered, 15 to 45 seconds for runny yolks (white around edge of yolk will be barely opaque), 45 to 60 seconds for soft but set yolks, and about 2 minutes for medium-set yolks. Slide eggs onto plates and serve.

Variation

Egg in a Hole

Use 6 eggs. Adjust oven racks to lowest and top positions, place rimmed baking sheet on lower rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spread 2½ tablespoons softened unsalted butter evenly over 1 side of 6 slices
hearty white sandwich bread. Using 2½-inch biscuit cutter, cut out and remove circle from center of each piece of buttered bread. Remove hot sheet from oven, add 2½ tablespoons softened unsalted butter, and let
melt, tilting sheet to let butter cover sheet evenly. Place bread circles down center of sheet and bread slices on either side of circles, buttered side up. Return sheet to lower rack and bake until bread is golden, 3 to 5
minutes, flipping bread and rotating sheet halfway through baking. Remove sheet from oven and set inside second (room temperature) rimmed baking sheet. Crack 1 egg into each bread hole. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Bake on upper rack until whites are barely set, 4 to 6 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer sheets to wire rack and let eggs sit until whites are completely set, about 2 minutes. Serve. Makes 6 toasts.

PUT AN EGG ON IT

Adding a fried egg on top of pretty much any dish makes it richer, heartier, and more luxurious. In addition to bulking up the protein content of your meal, a fried egg also comes with its own built-in sauce from the silky, runny yolk. This makes it a great topping for simple pasta dishes (try it on top of our Pasta with Garlic and Oil) or for salad greens to turn them into a light meal (spinach is especially nice).
Other recipes in this book that feature fried eggs as their finishing touch are our Bacon and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwiches, Brown Rice Bowls with Roasted Carrots, Kale, and Fried Eggs, and Vegetable Bibimbap. We also recommend trying one on top of Hash Browns, mixed into Faster Steel-Cut Oatmeal for a savory take on breakfast porridge, or as the ultimate decadent topping for The Burger Lover’s Burger.

How to Cook Perfect Scrambled Eggs - The easy trick in cooking

JD

October 02, 2019

0

egg-recipe, healthy-food, tasty-food-recipe

Turning out rich and creamy—not dry and rubbery—scrambled eggs makes the simplest of all meals something special. Adding a couple extra yolks and ¼ cup half-and-half ensures rich flavor, and the added fat prevents overcooking, as does seasoning the raw eggs with salt, which tenderizes them. To create large, even curds, we used a smaller (10-inch) skillet so we’d have a thicker layer of eggs. Stirring constantly (scraping along both the sides and bottom) helped the eggs coagulate evenly, and dropping the heat partway through gave us more control over doneness. Follow the visual cues, as pan thickness will affect cooking times. (If using an electric stove, heat one burner on low and a second on medium-high; move the skillet between burners for temperature adjustment.) To dress up the eggs, add 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, chives, basil, or cilantro, or 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill or tarragon after reducing the heat to low.

Serves: 4
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

8 large eggs plus 2 large yolks
¼ cup half-and-half
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chilled

Procedure

1. Beat eggs, yolks, half-and-half, ⅜ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper with fork until eggs are thoroughly combined and color is pure yellow; do not overbeat.
2. Heat butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming just subsides (butter should not brown), swirling to coat pan. Add egg mixture and, using rubber spatula, constantly and firmly scrape along bottom and sides of skillet until eggs begin to clump and spatula just leaves trail on bottom of pan, 1½ to 2½ minutes. Reduce heat to low and gently but constantly fold eggs until clumped and just slightly wet, 30 to 60 seconds. Immediately transfer eggs to warmed plates and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Variations

Perfect Scrambled Eggs for Two

Use 4 large eggs plus 1 large yolk, 2 tablespoons half-and-half, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, and 1½ teaspoons butter. Cook eggs in 8-inch skillet for 45 to 75 seconds over medium-high heat and then 30 to 60 seconds over low heat.

Perfect Scrambled Eggs for One

Use 2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk, 1 tablespoon half-and-half, pinch salt, pinch pepper, and ¾ teaspoon butter. Cook eggs in 8-inch skillet for 30 to 60 seconds over medium-high heat and then 30 to 60 seconds over low heat.

Smoked Salmon Scrambled Eggs with Chive Butter

Mash 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter with 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives. Toast 4 (1-inch-thick) slices rustic white bread, then spread with 2 tablespoons chive butter. Cook eggs as directed, using remaining chive butter. Immediately spoon eggs on top of buttered toasts, top with 3 ounces smoked salmon, and serve. Garnish with extra chives if desired.

THE CLEANEST BREAK

There are best practices for even the simplest kitchen tasks. For example: cracking an egg. Do it thoughtlessly and you’ll end up with annoying bits of shell in the bowl. For the cleanest break, crack eggs

against a flat surface, rather than the edge of the counter or a mixing bowl. Once you can crack an egg correctly, separating them is easy. We separate eggs if we need just the yolk or white (as in our scrambled

eggs, which uses additional yolks) or if the two will be used in different ways. Separate eggs when they’re cold: Cold yolks are less apt to break into the whites. To separate an egg, hold the halves of the cracked shell over a bowl and gently transfer the yolk back and forth between them, letting the white fall into the bowl; drop the yolk into a second bowl. (Alternatively, open the cracked egg into your cupped palm and slowly separate your fingers to allow the white to slide into the bowl, leaving the yolk intact in your palm.) If you plan on whipping the egg whites, use three bowls: Separate each egg over the first bowl and let the white fall in. Slide the yolk into the second bowl and then move the white to the third bowl before starting over with the next egg. That way, if one yolk breaks into the white, it doesn’t contaminate the whole batch of whites. Even the tiniest amount of fat from the egg yolks can undermine the stability of the beaten whites.