Many Ways for Cooking Eggs | Page 3

from 72 to 84 per cent. of water, about 12 to 14 per cent.
of albuminoids. The yolk is quite rich in fat; the white deficient. They
also contain mineral matter and extractives.
To ascertain the freshness of an egg without breaking it, hold your hand
around the egg toward a bright light or the sun and look through it. If
the yolk appears quite round and the white clear, it is fresh. Or, if you
put it in a bucket of water and it falls on its side, it is fresh. If it sort of
topples in the water, standing on its end, it is fairly fresh, but, if it floats,
beware of it. The shell of a fresh egg looks dull and porous. As it
begins to age, the shell takes on a shiny appearance. If an egg is kept
any length of time, a portion of its water evaporates, which leaves a
space in the shell, and the egg will "rattle." An egg that rattles may be
perfectly good, and still not absolutely fresh.
TO PRESERVE EGGS
To preserve eggs it is only necessary to close the pores of the shells.
This may be done by dipping them in melted paraffine, or packing
them in salt, small ends down; or pack them in a keg and cover them
with brine; or pack them in a keg, small ends down and cover them
with lime water; this not only protects them from the air, but acts as a
germicide.
Eggs should not be packed for winter use later than the middle of May
or earlier than the first of April. Where large quantities of the yolks are
used, the whites may be evaporated and kept in glass bottles or jars.
Spread them out on a stoneware or granite plate and allow them to

evaporate at the mouth of a cool oven. When the mixture is perfectly
dry, put it away. This powder is capable of taking up the same amount
of water that has been evaporated from it, and may then be used the
same as fresh whites.
EGGS AND CRUMBING
To do this successfully one must prepare a mixture, and not use the egg
alone. If an egg mixture or a croquette is dipped in beaten egg and
rolled in cracker crumbs and dropped into fat, it always has a greasy
covering. This is the wrong way. To do it successfully and have the
articles handsome, beat the egg until well mixed, add a teaspoonful of
olive oil, a tablespoonful of water and a dash of pepper. Dip the articles
into this mixture, and then drop them on quite a thick bed of either
sifted dry bread crumbs or soft white bread crumbs.
I prefer sifted dry bread crumbs for croquettes, and soft white crumbs
for lobster cutlets and deviled crabs.
SHIRRED EGGS
Cover the bottoms of individual dishes with a little butter and a few
fresh bread crumbs; drop into each dish two fresh eggs; stand this dish
in a pan of hot water and cook in the oven until the whites are "set." Put
a tiny bit of butter in the middle of each, and a dusting of salt and
pepper.
EGGS MEXICANA
Put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan. Add four tablespoonfuls
of finely chopped onion and shake until the onion is soft, but not brown.
Then add four Spanish peppers cut in strips, a dash of red pepper and a
half pint of tomatoes; the tomatoes should be in rather solid pieces.
Add a seasoning of pepper and salt. Let this cook slowly while you shir
the desired quantity of eggs. When the eggs are ready to serve, put two
tablespoonfuls of this sauce at each side of the dish, and send at once to
the table.
EGGS ON A PLATE
Rub the bottom of a baking dish with butter. Dust it lightly with salt
and pepper. Break in as many fresh eggs as required. Stand the dish in a
basin of water and cook in the oven five minutes, or until the whites are
"set." While these are cooking, put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a
pan and shake over the fire until it browns. When the eggs are done,
baste them with the browned butter, and send to the table.

EGGS DE LESSEPS
Shir the eggs as directed. Have ready, carefully boiled, two sets of
calves' brains; cut them into slices; put two or three slices between the
eggs, and then pour over browned butter sauce.
EGGS MEYERBEER
To each half dozen eggs allow three lambs' kidneys. Broil the kidneys.
Shir the eggs as directed in the first recipe. When done, put half a
kidney on each side of the plate and pour over sauce Perigueux.
EGGS A LA REINE
6 eggs