An Eggstra Special Day - Eats & Treats by Tania Rebello
Today we celebrate a food item that is no stranger to people around the world. The humble egg is one of the most versatile ingredients for thousands of years.
It is said that geniuses like Albert Einstein had eggs regularly for breakfast. It is unsurprising considering the fact that eggs are known to promote good health.
Eggs contain the highest quality food protein known. It is second only to mother’s milk for human nutrition. They contain lutein which prevents age related cataracts and muscle degeneration.
If this is not enough reason to get eggcited about eggs, then did you know that a single egg contains over 80% of the recommended dietary vitamin D that is required by the body?
A common misconception which causes people to stay away from eggs is that eggs contain cholesterol which is bad for heart health, however, the American Heart Foundation recommends up to one egg a day for most people, fewer for people with high blood cholesterol, especially those with diabetes or who are at risk for heart failure and up to two eggs a day for older people with normal cholesterol levels who eat a healthy diet.
The Guinness World Record for omelet making is held by Howard Helmer, who made 427 omelets in 30 minutes.
But you don’t have to break a record with the number of eggs that you eat. One egg a day is safe and in fact beneficial.
And better still, try out this delicious Scotch Egg recipe and enjoy them as a well-rounded meal (no pun intended). Scotch eggs are boiled egg sthatare wrapped in minced meat, coated in breadcr u m b s and baked or deep-fried. This two- hundredyear-old dish was originally prepared using fish paste.
They did not roll them in breadcrumbs. It is believed that the dish originated from the Mughlai dish Nargisi Kofta which is an exotic combination of boiled eggs wrapped with mutton mince and braised in rich and spicy yoghurt gravy.
Scotch eggs can be served with salad, fries, mustard, mashed potato and/or barbeque sauce. Do try out this easy to follow recipe at home.
Ingredients:
Plain flour to dust
7 whole eggs
1 onion,
chopped 1 garlic clove,
crushed 1 small red chilli,
deseeded 2 tbsp chopped herbs
500gms beef mince (or lamb or veal mince)
Breadcrumbs to coat
Oil to fry
Method:
Place the plain flour on a plate. Place 6 eggs in a saucepan of cold water. Slowly bring to the boil. Boil eggs for 12 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool completely. Peel and dust the eggs in a little flour so the surface is dry.
Process the onion, garlic, chilli and herbs in a food processor. Add the mince and process until it is chopped even finer and the ingredients are well combined.
Add the remaining egg and process until the mixture comes together. Divide the mixture into 6 even portions. Mould a portion in the cup of your hand. Place a hardboiled egg into the “cup” and shape the meat around to enclose. Roll it to smooth the surface.
Roll in breadcrumbs and set aside. Repeat with the other eggs. Line a plate with a paper towel.
When you have assembled all of the Scotch eggs, deep fry them a few at a time in deep oil over a medium heat for around 10 minutes, making sure they are evenly browned all over. Drain on the lined plate.
Eggs In Bellpeppers (Recipe)
Ingredients:
• 3 Bell peppers, various colors if desired
• 6 Eggs Optional toppings :
• Cherry tomatoes, chopped
• Red onion, diced
• Olives, chopped
• Feta cheese, crumbled
• Deli turkey meat, chopped
• Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Chives, chopped
• Bacon, cooked and crumbles
• Corn, organic, frozen: thawed, or fresh
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to your taste
• Cooking spray
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees f.
• Cut the bell pepper in half vertically right through the middle of the stem as shown and through to the bottom of the pepper.
• Cut out the seeds and place the peppers on the prepared baking tray.
• Lightly spray with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper, then roast for 10 minutes.
• Once the peppers are done roasting, take them out of the oven and very gently crack an egg into each one.
• Add your favorite topping combo to each, such as : ¤ Tomato, onions, olives ¤ Feta cheese, deli meat, cheddar ¤ Chives, bacon, jalapeño and corn.
• Return to the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes, or until egg whites are completely set.
• Season with sea salt and pepper and enjoy hot!
INTERESTING EGG FACTS
1. Yellow and orange pigmented grain feeds determine the color of the egg yolk.
2. Eggshell color does not determine the flavor or nutritional value of eggs.
3. The eggs from younger chickens have thicker shells while older chickens lay eggs with thinner shells.
4. The white stringy thing that you see attached to the egg shell is called chalazae. They are membranes that attach the yolk to the end of the shell. Chalazae are edible and their prominence is good indicator that the eggs are fresh.
5. The best freshness test for eggs is buoyancy. The freshest eggs will sink to the bottom of a glass of water while stale eggs float.
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