Though Rocky Balboa and Beauty and the Beast villain Gaston may be able to down dozens of raw eggs every morning, the vast majority of us prefer our breakfasts cooked. A simple and economical food full of protein and essential nutrients, eggs are an egg-cellent (sorry, couldn’t resist) way to start the day. Because basic egg preparation is a critical skill for any cook, The Daily Iowan has compiled a list of essential egg info.
Basic Egg Preparations
1. Scrambled Eggs: Separate egg into bowl and beat with a fork or wire whisk until completely blended. Spray skillet with cooking oil and heat over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into pan and gently stir with a spatula. Cook until eggs are set but still moist looking. Do not stir eggs constantly.
2. Over Easy, Medium, or Hard: Spray skillet with cooking oil and heat over medium heat. Pour cracked egg onto pan. Allow whites to cook and become firm. Flip egg over with spatula, allowing other side to cook. The yolks of over-easy eggs will be runny (total cooking time around three minutes), over-hard yolks will be firm (around five minutes), and over-medium yolks will be somewhere in the middle (around four minutes).
3. Sunny-Side Up: Pour egg onto skillet over medium-low heat carefully so as not to break the yolk.Allow egg to cook for two to three minutes, placing plate or lid over skillet to heat faster if desired. Yolks should be runny.
4. Hard-Boiled: Place egg in saucepan under 1 inch of water. Bring to boil over high heat and cook for five to six minutes. Run cold water over eggs and peel eggs by tapping the shell with a knife (or by bashing against table).
5. Omelet: Beat two to three eggs with a fork or wire whisk in a small bowl. Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, then pour in eggs. Cook until mixture begins to set, gently lifting up sides of omelet with spatula to allow liquid to run under bottom of omelet. When omelet is set, but not dry, place filling of cheese, meat, or vegetables of your choice over half of the omelet. Gently fold omelet in half with spatula and transfer to serving plate.
— by Melea Andrys