Eggs are marvellous for quick meals and are convenient because they always seem to be on hand. Keep them cool — the lowest section of the refrigerator is the best place in most kitchens, but let eggs come to room temperature before you cook them.
Boiled eggs: Soft-boiled eggs are nice with hot asparagus and hard-boiled eggs can be stuffed with sardines or smoked cod’s roe.
Eggs should not be cooked at a full rolling boil. Place them in cold water to cover and bring just to the boiling point, then lower the heat and simmer — 4 minutes for soft-boiled eggs and 8 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.
When serving eggs cold, such as in salads, the eggs are more digestible if the yolk is set but still moist — 6 minutes is the time I use.
Before cooking, prick a small hole in the shell at the rounded end with an egg pricker or needle to prevent shells cracking.
Stir eggs gently as they come to the boil to get yolks that set in the centre of the egg.
Drain eggs as soon as they are cooked and plunge into a bowl of cold water for a moment to arrest cooking.
Roll eggs between the palms of the hand or on work surface to crack the shells all over and they will be easier to peel. New-laid eggs are always obstinate; eggs that are 4-5 days old will peel best.
For salad, peeled eggs can be kept in a bowl of cold water to cover for up to 24 hours to keep the whites moist.
Poached eggs: Serve these on Welsh rarebit to make buck rarebit, on a spinach puree with cheese sauce topping or try them on poached smoked haddock cutlets.
Use the freshest eggs possible — the white is tighter and doesn’t spread so much.
Use a shallow pan; a frying pan is best as it’s more roomy. There’s no need to add salt or vinegar to the water.
Crack the egg into a teacup, and holding the cup close to the water surface, tip the egg into simmering water. Cook until egg white is set, basting with the simmering water.
Lift poached eggs from the pan with a perforated spoon to drain off the water.
Eggs can be poached in advance: leave cooked eggs covered with cold water. To reheat, immerse them in simmering water for 30 seconds.
Scrambled eggs: Serve on toast or buttered biscottes and top with grated cheese or a little lumpfish caviar.
Mix eggs lightly with a fork to blend yolks and whites; season with salt and pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon milk per egg to enrich the mixture; use single cream for a special occasion.
Cook gently over direct heat; let the butter melt in the pan first, then add the eggs. A silicone- lined pan makes washing up afterwards easier.
Don’t stir scrambled eggs. Instead, draw mixture up with a spoon in creamy folds as eggs begin to set.
Draw pan off the heat when mixture is set but still moist — the heat of the pan will continue to cook it.
A nut of butter added at the end of cooking helps keep scrambled eggs moist and soft.
Omelettes: Fill omelettes with mushroom, prawns, cooked mussels tossed in hot butter e hot ratatouille.
Mix eggs lightly with a fork to blend yolks and whites. Add salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon per egg to lighten the mixture.
Use the right pan — an omelette pan which about 6-8 inches (15-20cm) in diameter is ideal.
Otherwise use a small frying pan so the mixture does not spread too thin.
Add unsalted or clarified butter to the hot and tilt pan to grease evenly. Then add egg mixture and cook quickly.
Use a fork to stir, then draw edges of mixture to centre so uncooked egg on top flows on to hot pan surface.
When set but still moist, loosen edges and slide omelette to edge of pan away from the handle_ Add hot filling at this stage and turn sides oi omelette to centre. Hold pan edge close to serving dish and tip out quickly so omelette turns over or to plate.