Who’s in the kitchen: Eggs—all they’re cracked up to be

Exquisitely simple, yet enormously complex, the egg is one of nature's

marvels.

Eggs are the backbone of many baked goods. They also provide steam for leavening or moisture for starch. The yolks are known to add moisturizing fat, giving the finished product a smooth and creamy texture. The egg whites act as strengtheners.

 Eggs have many uses in baking and cooking. They can bind ingredients as in meat loaves or croquettes. Their thickening talent is seen in custards and sauces. Eggs emulsify mayonnaise, salad dressings and Hollandaise sauce and are frequently used to coat breads and cookies--this process is also known as an egg wash. They can be used in soups to clarify them. In boiled candies and frostings, eggs retard crystallization. And let's not forget the large role they play in breading and coating. 

According to Wikipedia, there is a legend that the folds in a chef’s hat used to represent the number of ways s/he knew how to cook an egg, with the vaunted 100-fold hat reserved for the heads of only the most knowledgeable culinary experts.

I don't even come close to knowing that many (which is good, those hats definitely cause "bad hair" days) but a few that come to mind are fried, poached, scrambled, hard or soft boiled, coddled, sunny side up, over easy, shirred and pickled.

 When egg yolks are removed, egg whites, when beaten, will foam and increase the volume by up to six to eight times. 

 The ability for the egg white to foam is due to the close teamwork between the two egg white proteins, albumin and ovalbumin.

The albumin, when beaten, forms a mass of tiny air bubbles. Since the egg white is mostly water, the protein molecules bond and form a fragile network that holds the moisture in place. The ovalbumin coagulate when it's heated making it resistant.

 The foam or as my mom used to call it "the snow," is essential for making meringues, mousse, soufflés and sponge cake.

 There is nothing as beautiful as a perfectly high, delicate mound of foam.  All conditions have to be perfect in order to achieve it.

The egg whites cannot have any yolks in them. The bowl has to be chilled and perfectly clean. A touch of grease will hamper the ability of the whites to foam to perfection.

I'm very serious about my foams. A few years back I had an order for three lemon mile high cakes. I separated my eggs, beating 36 whites to perfection. While preparing the yolk mixture for the cakes, I reached for a spatula in my overcrowded drawer and sliced my thumb on one of those overpriced knives promising to cut through anything (they were right). Looking down at my thumb which was bleeding profusely, then back at the perfect snow, I just couldn't let that perfectly high airy mound go to waste. I applied three band aides, put on two rubber gloves and tied a string around my wrist. I then continued to bake the cakes, then proceed to the plastic surgeon (don't try this at home). Sixteen stitches and a few hours later I returned to three beautiful sponge cakes waiting to be filled with lemon curd and whipped cream.

 Although I bake and cook hundreds of rich, fattening delicious dishes and cakes, most of the time I’m happiest eating a healthy egg white omelet. Every time my old time girlfriends and I get together for lunch or dinner (usually to celebrate someone’s birthday), I always get the same “Come on Judy, you don’t always have to be on a diet.” Truth is, though, I really enjoy egg white omelets!

But if the thought of a tasteless, yolkless omelet makes you cringe, you just need a new way of thinking. You can dress up an egg-white omelet with a myriad of toppings and you'll never miss the egg yolks.

The egg white contains 36% water, 13% protein, 0.25% fat and mineral salts. Hence, egg white is a source rich in protein and low in cholesterol.

The whites contain vitamin B3, vitamin B2, magnesium, potassium, and contain about 57% of an egg’s protein.

Egg whites that are cloudy indicate that the egg is very fresh, according to the Egg Safety Center. Clear egg whites indicate an egg is aging; pink or iridescent egg whites indicate spoilage, and these eggs should not be consumed.

Below is my favorite egg white omelet recipe. It’s easy to prepare, has less than 200 calories, has 21 grams of protein, virtually no fat and can be served for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Egg White omelet topped with Stir Fried Vegetables

Ingredients

n 6 egg whites

n Salt and pepper to taste

n 1 1/2 cups frozen stir fried vegetables

of your choice

n 1 1/2 tablespoons La Choy Teriyaki

Marinade and Sauce

n Non-fat cooking spray

Directions

 Generously coat the bottom of a 10" fry pan with non-fat cooking spray. When pan is very hot, toss in the vegetables and cook until done, slightly soft but not soggy.

Add the teriyaki sauce and coat all vegetables well. Let cook on high flame for a minute to caramelize the vegetables. Remove from heat.

Heat a non-stick pan with cooking spray and pour in the egg whites. Cook until the top of the eggs turn from clear to white, loosen the sides and fold over half the mixture to form an omelet. Let cook another few seconds till done transfer to a plate. Top with the stir fry mixture.

So enjoy this non-guilty, healthy meal, for you never know, you might have to save some calories for next week’s recipe!

Judy Joszef is a pastry and personal chef as well as a party planner. She spent 18 years as a pastry chef at Abigael’s, The Cedar Club, Centro and T42 in the Five Towns, before launching her current business, Soireé. She can be contacted at Judy.soireé@gmail.com.