Eggs!

Amtmann

I'm going to make a confession. Until ten minutes ago, I had never eaten an egg in my life (I'm pretty sure the ones in cakes and meringues don't count). Fried, poached, boiled, whatever: the idea of eggs was disgusting to me.

This evening, having read this post earlier today, I bravely decided to try some eggs, so I looked up a video on Youtube about how to make an omelette and approached the cooker. I combined the omelette with the only ingredients I had to hand: sliced cheddar and cold cuts of Denny ham.

The result was pretty delicious.

So in celebration of my successful nutritional adventure and drive to completely eliminate grains from my diet, I'm starting this thread on eggs

Firstly, what are the comprehensive health benefits of eggs? How important are they to a healthy diet?

Secondly, can anyone suggest various ways of preparing egg dishes for maximisation of protein and fats at mealtimes?

Amtmann

Well here's a good primer from Mark Sisson.

danlen

A real simple one which is handy if you dont have much prep time is to simply boil 3-4 eggs and mash them up with a generous knob of butter. Delish and great protein and fat content for a paleo/low carb meal

Darkginger

Woot I'm sort of emotional over you eating eggs for the first time after reading my post (really!). I can wax lyrical about eggs - they have to be one of my favourite foods. M.F.K. Fisher wrote a wonderful essay about how to scramble eggs - this is my interpretation.

Melt a tablespoonful of butter in a pan over a gentle heat. Break 3 eggs into a bowl, whisk lightly and add a sprinkling of white (has to be white!) pepper. Add the eggs to the butter in the pan, and continue cooking gently until curds begin to form. This can NOT be rushed - fast-cooked scrambled eggs take on an entirely different flavour. The idea is to bring the eggs slowly to a heat where they begin to thicken, a bit like a custard, but with texture. Stir slowly and continually until they're done to your liking, taking the pan off the heat just before you think they're cooked - the residual heat will continue to cook them for a minute or two. They should (in my opinion) be creamy, not fluffy. For additional luxury (and fat), add a tablespoonful of cream near the end of cooking, and stir in. Add a little salt to taste.

[Optional blasphemy here: add a dash of Kikkoman's Soy Sauce - and not the low salt version - to the eggs prior to cooking]

Wonderful on a thick slice of ham for breakfast.

Egg mayonnaise (preferably home made mayo, with olive oil - I was reading my Helman's label, looking for Omega 3 and 6 info, and it seems to have a lot of 6) with some spring onions and black pepper mixed in is a good way of getting both fat and protein. Just bring the eggs to a boil, then turn off the heat and leave for about 10 mins (saves on the 'leccy), cool, peel, mash with generous amounts of mayo, add the finely chopped onion, and the pepper. I like to wrap mine in a lettuce leaf.

Egg yolks contain folic acid, choline and Vitamin D, among other goodies, including fat. According to Wikipedia, eggs also contain all the essential amino acids we need.

Devilled eggs are good too - boil and peel eggs, cut in half, remove yolks and mash them up with mayo, cayenne pepper, maybe some butter, perhaps an anchovy, a pinch of Colman's mustard powder, and spoon or pipe them back into the whites. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Ok, OK, I'm going back to the Food & Drink forum... enjoy your eggs!

settings

an overview of the nutritional role of the humble egg:
http://www.eggnutritioncenter.org/docs/Several%20Topics%20Included/Bord_Bia_Review.pdf

gordon ramsey scrambled egg recipe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU_B3QNu_Ks

metamorphosis

I love my bloody omlette with cheese melted on it and loads mushed spinach and onion.

a while since i had it

I ate out this morning and had scrambled eggs with salmon and creme friche. Yum.

I love eggs.

Darkginger

Just remembered a low carb bread substitute I used to make - from an online recipe for 'Oopsie Rolls'. Basically, you separate 3 eggs, mix the yolks with 3 oz cream cheese (eg Philadelphia), whisk the whites with a pinch of salt and a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff, fold in the yolk/cheese mixture and bake in 6 mounds on a non-stick baking tray for about 30 mins at 150 degrees. Cool on a rack, and use as you would bread - for burgers, sandwiches, whatever. Surprisingly good!