“It is clear to all how much benefit the cock and his wives provide for the human race. Hens’ eggs have first place in all parts of the world and are in daily use.”
–Ulisse Aldrovandi, 1600
Using the Eggs You Produce
The cattle tracks on the frosted clover look like the snail paths in the neatly tilled rows of summer’s gardens. Each cow’s heavy hoof has roughly trampled ice crystals from the waning grasses into the still-warm soil, leaving emerald trails that eventually melt into the early morning’s fog. They look the same, the cattle and the snail routes, but the smells, the sights, the chill air remind me that we are at the cusp of winter, that all is receding into sleep, senescence, torpor. Even the cattle are not duty-bound on their journey across the field, as the slugs were apt to be earlier, on their trail of a perfectly ripe tomato’s scent. Instead, the cows and calves meander toward this corner and that, looking for the sweet green grass that has long gone, having been eaten carelessly, without a thought to fall’s impending curtain call.
A chicken’s track is left in the snow at Luna Bleu Farm. With the door open during the day, some hens walk from the bright greenhouse to the dark coop to lay their eggs.
The hens have begun molting their tired plumage for sturdier feathers to brave winter’s chilly winds; chicks hatched on the sly in the corners of the barn have been released from their mother’s overprotective gaze to search for food and shelter on their own. With the waning light come fewer eggs, fewer crowing cocks, no skirmishes over turf in the crowded henhouse. Every bird finds its place, leaving its neighbors be, waiting out the cold.
The farm’s crops have been squirreled away in storage bins, earth cellars, freezers, and canning jars. Summer’s helpers have departed on their separate journeys, like restless geese taking flight on the first of autumn’s seductive winds calling to them with promises of what more there will be. Every year, it is a repeating pattern of green and gold, life, discovery, and growth. Then, gentle rest: the quiet darkness of winter, cold, and waiting.
Each of us who has not been beckoned away hunkers down, shutting out the cold and damp winds, patiently dreaming of the return of restlessness and caprice, the flutter and squawk of a mother hen protecting her brood: spring’s swell, when the farm is rocked back to life, back to the soil and to the seed.
Besides peddling wooden wagon loads of brightly colored gourds around the neighborhood for sale during the fall or mowing the lawn for the elderly couple across the street, my business ventures as a child also included chickens. We kept a calendar hung above the washing machine where my sister and I would carefully record eggs collected and eggs sold. All of the money was stored in a piggy bank until the family vacation, at which point it was equally doled out to spend on whatever we liked. I once bought a stuffed, dried puffer fish in Florida that sat on my bookshelf, collecting dust along its spiny back until the cat knocked it to the floor, where it shattered into a million little sea-creature pieces. I still have several of the miniature glass animals that I purchased at different vacation spots, housed in a special hardwood display case that Dad made me.
Aside from egg sales, the chickens gave us fresh eggs to eat on sometimes three out of seven family-sit-down-together breakfasts a week. Mom made poached, fried, or scrambled eggs, omelets, French toast, pancakes, and sausage egg casseroles. Back then, the egg had yet to be vilified as a health hazard, and we three girls were thin as rails and full of just as much energy as fluffy baby chicks.
A rooster of mixed heritage–“probably Rhode Island Red, Leghorn, and some others,” according to farmer Ray Williams—roams the pasture at Back Beyond Farm.
The egg is an invaluable ingredient in the art of cooking. Not just for breakfast, eggs can be used to create anything from Hollandaise sauce to ice cream. Eggs contain nine essential amino acids, vitamin B-6, B-12, thiamin, folate, riboflavin, and many minerals; eggs are an exceptionally healthy food. Two arguments against the egg have unnecessarily hurt its reputation: high cholesterol content and the bacteria Salmonella.
A Black Star cross hen is one of 100 two-year-old hens laying eggs at Luna Bleu Farm. The chickens replaced a flock decimated by predators; that summer, farmer Tim Sanford shot about 17 skunks that were getting underneath an electric netted fence to kill chickens.
Eggs are considered a high-cholesterol food item, and until recently, high cholesterol was implicated as the single most important culprit for heart disease. Cholesterol is manufactured naturally within the bodies of chickens and humans alike. It allows us to synthesize vitamin D from sunshine, essential for maintaining calcium and phosphorous uptake in the bloodstream and, ultimately, forming strong bones. Cholesterol is also necessary for the production of sex hormones. Recently, evidence surfaced that saturated fats were more important in heart disease than cholesterol. In fact, eggs contain less saturated fat and calories (2 grams and 75 calories for a large, 57-gram egg) than a small, lean burger has (268 calories, 7 grams saturated fat). Eggs are considerably less expensive to purchase than other sources of protein, and they are easier to produce on the homestead than steak or bacon. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) rates the egg as a more efficient source of protein than the four other top sources of protein, higher in value than cow’s milk, fish, beef, or soybeans.
If you’re still concerned about eggs and cholesterol in your diet, you can leave out most of the yolks in your recipes, where the cholesterol is found. A good substitute for two eggs is one whole egg and two egg whites. Cook the remaining yolks and feed them to the family dog. You can also choose to raise your chickens using free-range pastured methods; recent studies have shown that both cholesterol and saturated fats are reduced in eggs from uncaged, pastured hens. Some tout fertile eggs or eggs from certain breeds as being lower in cholesterol than others. In truth, the way these birds are raised and their ability to forage for foods other than processed grains may be responsible for the lower cholesterol values in their eggs.
Rosie, a three-year-old Black Sex-Link hen, forages in the grass in the backyard at the home of Geoff Hansen and Nicola Smith. When Hansen bought three pullets from a local farmer for their new coop, Rosie was included as a mentor to teach them the egglaying ropes.
Salmonellosis is caused by the bacteria Salmonella, a genus in which more than 2,000 species have been identified, but where only a few have caused the majority of salmonella outbreaks in chickens. The disease is most commonly grouped into four broad categories of disease: pullorum, or white diarrhea disease; typhoid; paratyphoid; and arizonosis. Of these, all are rare in North America, with the exception of paratyphoid. Specifically the antibiotic-resistant strain Salmonella enteritidis is of importance, because it can cause flu-like food poisoning symptoms in healthy adults, and it can be life threatening to the young, elderly, or immune compromised. The chance of contracting salmonellosis from eggs is still remote, about one in two million, though it can also be contracted from handling other infected foods. Cases of salmonellosis have been contracted from eating infected raw fish, sesame seeds, peanut butter, and undercooked red meat.
At one point or another, more than 70% of chickens are exposed to and infected by one of the 2,000 strains of salmonella. Birds that recover may then become carriers of the disease. Stress, overcrowding, or poor body condition from molting or lack of feed can stimulate an outbreak.
Salmonellosis is transmitted either through an egg laid by an infected hen or by contamination of the shell after the egg has been laid. Not all eggs laid by an infected hen are contaminated with the bacteria. Chicks may die within an infected egg at the end of incubation, or they can hatch and infect healthy chicks. The disease can also be spread through an unclean living environment: droppings, flies, rodents, wild birds, soiled shoes can all spread the bacteria.
The bacteria can cause inflammation of the bird’s intestines, creating watery, milky, or mucous- and blood-tinged droppings. The disease can eventually lead to dehydration, emaciation, systemic infection (septicemia), and death. Antibiotics can be effective against the disease, though birds that recover can become carriers. Culling infected birds is the best management for controlling salmonellosis.
A bright-eyed, healthy bantam Mottled Japanese hen rests during the Northeastern Poultry Congress’s annual Poultry Show at the Eastern States Exposition Center in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
To reduce your exposure to salmonellosis, keep your birds clean and dry, maintain clean nest boxes, collect eggs frequently, and discard any broken or cracked eggs. Alternatively, you can discard the yolks and use just the whites of the eggs, which contain antibacterial properties and don’t harbor the bacteria. On the other hand, the yolk harbors the bulk of protein and amino acids, so you will be sacrificing the most nutritious part of the egg by using just the whites.
FRESHNESS AND SHORT-TERM STORAGE
It may be surprising to know that eggs can be safely stored without altering them for at least three months, provided they are clean and kept at a temperature of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 percent humidity. Until used, they should be stored, small pointed-end down, in an egg carton in the refrigerator.
Provided that you will be collecting all the eggs from your hens at least once a day (and ideally two or three times daily), you won’t need to worry about freshness. However, if your hens have free range on your farmstead, and you have stumbled upon a hidden spot where the hens have laid their eggs, there are several ways to be sure they are edible. The easiest method to determine freshness is to submerge the eggs in a pan of water. A fresh egg will stay horizontal on the bottom of the pan, but older eggs will list upwards, large end poking toward the top. Eggs that float to the surface should be discarded. The degree to which the egg floats is due to the air cell inside. When the egg is laid, there is little to no air cell, but as it cools and shrinks, a space forms at the large end, as the inner shell membrane pulls away from the outer shell membrane. Moisture escaping through the shell will also shrink the contents and increase the size of the air cell.
You can also candle an egg to determine the extent of its air cell. An air cell space larger than about ¼ inch indicates an old egg.
Of course, cracking the egg open will give you a good idea of its quality. A fresh egg will be almost odorless, having no sulfur smell. The white of the egg will be slightly cloudy and sticky, and the yolk will look like a firm, yellow moon. By comparison, an older egg that may not be good or safe to eat would have a clear watery albumen, watery yolk, and off smell.
A Barred Plymouth Rock hen and Araucana cross hen drink water in the pasture at Back Beyond Farm. While most of the chickens are on the farm for a year or two before their laying slows down and they are given away, the Araucana cross has been around since the farm was started in 2003.
Unless you are eating them within a week, cracked or heavily soiled eggs should be composted. As farmers, we are usually left with these eggs for our own consumption, and they are perfectly safe, providing they are clean and the inner membrane of the egg is still intact (it will look like parchment paper underneath the crack). If any liquid is coming out of the egg, it should be discarded.
LONG-TERM STORAGE
For longer-term storage, eggs may be frozen, canned as pickled eggs, or salted, methods for which will be covered later in this chapter. Other methods of storage were far more popular prior to the advent of refrigeration, such as oiling, thermostabilization, and storing in water glass.
OILING
Oiling eggs makes it possible to store eggs at higher temperatures than untreated eggs, and in clean cartons stored in a cool place, they keep for up to four months before developing an off flavor. Eggs are dipped in white mineral oil within 24 hours of being laid, then stored in closed cartons. Given that untreated eggs will safely store for up to three months in refrigeration with no oily mess to deal with, it hardly seems worth it to oil eggs, unless you are in an area with no cool place to keep your eggs.
Whitey the White Plymouth Rock spreads her wings in the warmth of the sun in Rick Schluntz’s and Carol Steingress’s small in-town yard. The first time they had a very old and sick chicken, Steingress took her to the veterinarian to be euthanized. “I cried all the way home,” she said. But the vet bill also taught her not to be as attached to the chickens.
WATER-GLASSING
Water glass, a chemical compound called sodium silicate and is dissolved in water, was a popular storage method in the early 1900s for whole eggs. It was used to store freshly laid eggs for up to six months or more, before whites began to get watery and yolks got runny, and eggs took on an off flavor. Reading the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for water glass, however, sounds like reading a brew recipe from Hecuba’s cauldron in Macbeth. Classified as a moderate health concern, a fire hazard, and a material that is “harmful if swallowed or inhaled, causes severe irritation to eyes, skin and respiratory tract,” water glass requires people working with it in the lab to use goggles and shield, lab coat and apron, vent hood, and proper gloves. The homesteader and small farmer are probably better off avoiding its use.
Thermostabilization was often combined with oiling and is still a viable option if freezing or canning are not. Unlike eggs that have been oiled, thermostabilized eggs can also be used in recipes that require foaming, like cakes and meringues. The process destroys bacteria on the shell and seals the egg by coddling the first layer of white underneath the shell. Most of the egg remains uncooked, and the sticky albumin that was heated stays with the shell after it is cracked open, leaving a normal-looking white and yolk.
To thermostabilize, use freshly laid eggs that have been cooled to room temperature. Heat a pan of water to 130 degrees Fahrenheit—no hotter, or the eggs will cook, and no cooler or the bacteria will not be killed (use a thermometer). Using a steaming basket, submerge the eggs in the water for 15 minutes. Dry the eggs and store them in cartons. Storage conditions at 65 degrees will keep eggs fresh for up to two weeks, but eggs can be stored at 35 degrees for up to seven or eight months.
A Black Star cross hen wanders outside at Luna Bleu Farm.
One of the easiest methods to keep surplus eggs for later use is freezing. Eggs should always be frozen raw or they will take on a rubbery, unappetizing texture. Eggs stored by this method can be used for up to one year and substituted in any recipe, from ice cream to quiche. Simply “scramble” the cracked eggs using a fork, slowly incorporating the raw yolks into the whites. Add salt or honey to the mix to preserve it, depending on intended use. To five medium eggs (about 1 cup of beaten eggs), add either ½ to 1 teaspoon salt or ½ tablespoon honey. The salt or honey acts as an emulsifier so that the yolks don’t become pasty after freezing. Seal them in containers that are labeled with the number of beaten eggs and freeze for future use. I use one container with five eggs to make a quiche. The beaten eggs could also be frozen individually in ice cube trays for individual use.
If you want to preserve eggs for salads or hors d’oeuvres, as spicy deviled eggs, or you’d like to try a pickled food that’s different from cucumber pickles or dilly beans, home-pickled eggs are the way to go.
Many people are afraid of pickled eggs. They envision two-gallon glass jars sitting on gas station counters with self-serve tongs ready to dip into a magenta- or oxidized orange–colored bath, in search of a rubbery oval, resembling food. Having nothing in common with the gas station variety, kids will often choose to eat a pickled egg over a hard-boiled one, and the nutritional value of the end product is just as good, if not better, given the added vitamin C component. They are packed full of flavor, and easier to eat than a hard-boiled egg. Pickled eggs are packed in vinegar and spice brine, so botulism, which thrives on high pH, has no way of surviving. The task of pickling eggs also tends to fall during a time when the memories of hundreds of pounds of tomatoes and zucchini, cucumbers, and beans, headed for the canning jar are distant and longed for. Pickled eggs will easily keep for six months after being sealed in canning jars with a boiling-water bath. Before pickling, whole eggs must be hard-boiled and shelled.
HARD-BOILING
The easiest way to hard boil eggs is to use eggs that are at least one week and no more than three weeks old. Fresher eggs will be almost impossible to peel without gouging out parts of the white along the way, while older eggs will have a larger air cell, causing the whites to thin and displace the yolk to the side, making the pickled egg appear deformed when it is sliced open. Pricking the wider end of the egg with a pin or adding a little vinegar in the boiling water also helps preserve the egg’s original shape during boiling. If you boil eggs for too long, the yolks will turn an unappetizing khaki or green color.
Two Rhode Island Red cockerels face off to see who will flinch first at Cloë Milek and Karl Hanson’s home.
Place eggs to be hard-boiled in a gently boiling pot of water using a slotted spoon or ladle, taking care not to jostle or crowd the eggs to prevent cracking. Boil for no more than 10 to 15 minutes, then drain the pot and run ice cold water over the eggs for a couple of minutes. You can refrigerate them at this point or proceed with peeling. The cooler they are, the easier the peeling will be.
To peel, crack the shell by rolling the egg on a flat surface, pressing down firmly with the palm of your hand. Then tap each end, and proceed to peel the egg from its widest end. Unpickled, hardboiled eggs will keep safely in the refrigerator for 10 to 14 days.
Fat Rooster Farm Pickled Eggs For Brine
2 cups cider vinegar
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons whole coriander
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon tarragon
For Jars
4 pint jars and their lids
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 small red pepper, for added heat
16 to 25 hard-boiled eggs, depending on size
1 sprig dill
YIELD: Makes 4 pints
TIME REQUIRED: 35 minutes to hard-boil and peel eggs; 40 minutes to prepare and seal eggs in glass jars.
Hard-boil the eggs as described above. Peel the cooled eggs, making sure that no fragments of shell remain on the eggs.
While the eggs are boiling, wash the canning jars with hot, soapy water, rinsing them well. Fill a pot with water and sterilize the jars by submerging them in the water (it should cover the tops of the empty jars by about ¼ inch), and bring to a gentle boil. Keep the jars in the boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Sterilize the jar lids and rings in a smaller, shallow pan using the same technique.
Meanwhile, heat the brine in a saucepan on low heat. The brine should not boil, but be piping hot.
Remove the jars from their water bath (you can dump the water inside them out of the pot). Place the garnishes in the bottom of each jar and then stuff the hard-boiled eggs in the jars to the fill line. Using a canning funnel and glass measuring cup, fill the jars with brine to the fill line. Use a butter knife to displace air bubbles in the jars and then cover the jars with the canning seals and lids.
Return the jars to the pot and bring the water to a gentle boil. Process jars for 15 minutes. Remove the jars and let them cool completely on a flat surface. Make sure all jars have sealed; unsealed jars should be stored in the refrigerator. Ideally, the pickled eggs should be seasoned for at least three weeks before use. Pickled eggs can be stored safely after opening for at least three months in the refrigerator.
VARIATIONS: Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric or 1 whole peeled beet (remove before adding the hot liquid to the jars) to the brine to impart a yellow or reddish color to the eggs.
SALTING
Another popular way of preserving eggs, especially in Asian cooking, is salting. Impeccably clean eggs are brined in their shells in a salty solution for at least 12 days, and up to three to four weeks, at which point they can be stored at room temperature until use for months. Eggs are then boiled and used in various recipes, usually with rice, and in contrast to curries and other spicy Asian dishes.
Salty Eggs (Itlog Na Maalat, Haam Daan, or Kai-kem)
12 whole, raw eggs
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 cups water
1 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
1 gallon glass jar
The eggs you use for Salty Eggs should be absolutely clean and fresh. Use a stainless-steel scrubby to remove all debris from the shell (don’t worry about removing the shell’s protective cuticle).
Combine the remaining ingredients in a pan and heat until the salt dissolves. Cool to room temperature.
Gently place the eggs in the glass container and pour the cooled brine over them. Use a non-corrosive weight to submerge the eggs in the brine. Replace the jar’s lid, and store it in a cool place for at least 12 days. Most authentic recipes recommend at least three to four weeks in the brine.
Before use, the eggs should be rinsed and then gently boiled in their shells for at least 12 minutes.
Salty eggs can be used in salads, to accompany spicy curry dishes, or in Haam Daan Ju Yoke Beng (Ground Pork with Salted Egg, below).
Ground Pork with Salted Egg (Haam Daan Ju Yoke Beng)
Serve this dish with white rice.
1 salted egg
1 egg
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
½ cup carrots, cut into thin strips
1 ½ pounds ground pork
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon heavy cream
½ cup green pepper, cut into long strips
YIELD: Serves 4
TIME REQUIRED: 40 minutes
Mash the white of the salted egg separate from its yolk. Crumble the yolk and set it aside.
Using your hands, mix the pork, salted egg white, raw egg, tamari or soy, honey, salt, pepper, and cream. Let stand for 20 minutes. If serving with rice, prepare it while the pork mixture is resting.
Mix the yolk into the pork mixture with a fork. Form the mixture into a ball and place it in a bamboo steamer basket (if you don’t own one already to accompany your wok, they are available at most Asian markets or online). Arrange the vegetables around the meat’s edges in the basket. Steam until the meat is brown—about 30 minutes. Serve over the rice.
In the early part of the twentieth century, when breakfast was considered a pinnacle meal, families gathered to eat their fill and discuss the morning’s chores and duties of the day. Sixty years later, after the advent of the refrigerator, the toaster, the microwave, Starbucks, and the demise of the small family farm, the traditional American breakfast is considered a rare and often elaborate occasion. Now, rushing the kids off to school and launching both parents on their journey to nine-to-five jobs requires simple, quick meals. Cold cereal, Pop-Tarts, and breakfast bars are the norm—hardly a proper way to break a more than eight-hour fast, especially if you’re a child.
There are hundreds of ways that eggs can be prepared for breakfast. A great resource is Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, which devotes more than 20 pages and more than 100 egg recipes to the morning meal. Here are some personally tested and kid-friendly recipes.
Cracked Eggs
As a toddler, my son differentiated scrambled eggs from all other egg dishes as “cracked eggs.” Some of the thrill of making “Cracked Eggs” may have just been the responsibility of choosing the brightly colored eggs from the basket to break into the mixing bowl. The texture of scrambled eggs is often more agreeable to children, and the addition of cream mellows the sharp egg flavor.
4 large eggs or 6 pullet or Bantam eggs
1 teaspoon dill weed
3 tablespoons butter
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
YIELD: Serves 2 adults or 3 children
TIME REQUIRED: 20 minutes
Beat the eggs, sour cream, dill, and cream together using a whisk or egg beater until all ingredients are well blended.
Place a skillet on the stove over medium heat (I prefer a cast-iron skillet that has been well seasoned with use) for about 30 seconds. Add the butter and coat the skillet well. Pour in the egg mixture, turn the heat to low, and let it rest until a film has formed on the bottom of the pan. Take a spatula, tilt the skillet, and carefully push the egg toward the center of the skillet, allowing the liquid mixture to fill in the space left behind. Continue tilting the skillet back and forth until the center is relatively solid. Now the mixture can be gently stirred, and the eggs will break up into clumps. We like our eggs “over-hard,” but they can be removed from the skillet at any time after forming clumps. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper, hot sauce, or ketchup. Serve immediately with toast or the eggs will “weep” liquid from the addition of sour cream and milk to the mix.
There are unlimited variations to this recipe. Enlist the help of a child to experiment and refine the recipe to his or her liking.
Poached Eggs
Poaching involves cooking eggs in gently boiling liquid until done. Special pans and inserts for poaching are made, and while they make the edges of the poached egg look a little prettier, they usually require butter or oil to keep the egg from sticking to the sides. The poachers are also too large for bantam eggs and too small for jumbo eggs, resulting in either overcooked eggs or whites that spill out of the pan’s reservoirs. It is easy to crack the egg into a dish and then slide it into a regular pan of gently boiling liquid, to cook until done.
Poached Eggs with Mango Salsa
4 poached eggs
¼ cup cilantro, coarsely chopped
¼ to ½ cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons rice wine
1 medium tomato, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and cored, or 1 teaspoon hot pepper oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 mangoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely sliced
½ cup red onion, coarsely chopped
juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons white vinegar
½ cup sweet pepper (green or other)
cilantro and chives for garnish
YIELD: Serves 2; you’ll have leftover salsa
To make the salsa, place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until chunky but not fine. Adjust the seasonings (sweetness, heat, and salt) and refrigerate until use (will keep up to two weeks).
Poach the eggs and drain with basket or slotted spoon. Arrange each egg on a warmed plate with buttered toast or brown rice and a heaping dollop of salsa on the side. Sprinkle the eggs lightly with salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro and chives, and serve immediately.
Eggs Benedict
Delicate crêpes are used in this recipe to add to the creamy texture of this classic breakfast dish. If you don’t have the time, substitute toast or English muffins for the crêpes.
For Crêpes
1 cup flour
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
½ cup water
2 tablespoons melted butter
For Eggs
6 large eggs
6 slices Canadian bacon
fresh chopped parsley and minced chives
salt and pepper
1 avocado, peeled and sliced thinly
Hollandaise sauce (page 180)
paprika
peeled orange sections for garnish
YIELD: Serves 6
TIME REQUIRED: 1 hour 30 minutes, less if you have a helper
Slice the avocado and fry the Canadian bacon, and then make the crêpes. Keep the crêpes warm in the oven (170ºF) while you are poaching the eggs. Poach the eggs, then keep them in the oven on a platter. Make the Hollandaise last, then assemble the dish and serve immediately.
Recent health concerns regarding the potential for salmonella poisoning have removed raw eggs from their status as high–powered energy drink ingredients. Cookbooks written prior to the 1990s frequently included beverages with raw eggs without dire warnings accompanying them. While the addition of hot milk and heating will cook the eggs in these recipes to some extent, it may not be enough for all eaters. Because of the risks associated with eating undercooked eggs, no matter how remote their possibility in your fresh, home-raised eggs, the FDA suggests that children, the elderly, or those with compromised immune systems should make sure that the eggs are thoroughly cooked before eating them.
Eggnog
A non-alcoholic version of this beverage can be made easily by substituting 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the liquor.
1 dozen eggs, separated
½ cup maple syrup
1 cup cognac
2 cups whole milk
½ cup white sugar
1 cup good bourbon whiskey
1 quart heavy cream
grated nutmeg for garnish
YIELD: Serves about 20
TIME REQUIRED: 5 to 6 hours
Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and syrup together until thick. Add the liquor (or vanilla if non-alcoholic) while continuing to beat slowly. Chill, covered, for several hours.
Before serving, combine the salt and egg whites and beat until nearly stiff, or until the whites form peaks that bend. Set aside.
Whip the cream until stiff. Fold the cream and milk into the chilled yolk mixture, then fold this into the egg whites. Cover and chill for one hour.
Pour the beverage into a punch bowl, top with the grated nutmeg, and serve in chilled cups.
One of the biggest treats of the Wassail bowl, customarily passed from door to door in the poorer communities of England during Christmastime, was the floating pieces of bread swimming in the liquid, eaten with wishes of “Be Well”–which led to the expression, “drinking a toast.”
7 apples, cored and sliced into ¼-inch wedges
1 cup maple syrup
750 milliliters sweet sherry
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon allspice
6 eggs, separated
5 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted, buttered, and quartered
1 ½ cups brown sugar
3 quarts light ale beer
6 thin quarter-sized slices fresh ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup cognac, heated
YIELD: Serves 10
TIME REQUIRED: 1 hour
Sprinkle the apples with ½ cup brown sugar and bake in a preheated oven at 400ºF for about 25 minutes.
Heat the ale, sherry, remaining brown sugar, maple syrup, and spices in a large saucepan until simmering (don’t boil).
Beat the egg yolks until thick. Beat the whites separately until very stiff, then fold into the yolks.
Pour the ale mixture into the egg mixture slowly, beating hard so that the eggs don’t cook.
Put the hot apples in a punch bowl. Add the ale-egg mixture and the heated cognac. Serve in warmed mugs, and float a piece of toast on top of each mug.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
Eggs act as a binding agent in this recipe, which lacks gluten. The cookies will be very soft when they first come out of the oven, so let them rest on the baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool.
3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups peanut, almond, or cashew butter
½ cup quick oats
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
YIELD: 2 dozen cookies
TIME REQUIRED: 1 hour
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly butter cookie sheets.
Beat the eggs, then add the remaining ingredients, mixing well until smooth. The dough should thicken as it is mixed. Roll into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Flatten the tops gently with a fork, making a crisscross. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Flink’s Flan
Joey Flink was an apprentice at Fat Rooster Farm who was obsessed with flan. He took a New York Times Cookbook recipe and converted it so he could use his favorite sweeteners, honey and maple syrup. The summer was filled with flan trials, and at last, he became satisfied with this one. It’s a wonderful dessert, but we had no problem eating it for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack.
¼ cup honey
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 ½ cups whole milk
1/3 cup dark maple syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
YIELD: Serves 8
TIME REQUIRED: 1 hour
Preheat oven to 325ºF. Place a pan with warm water in the oven, large enough to hold a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Warm the honey and spread it over the bottom of the baking dish. Heat the milk to scalding and set aside.
While the milk is heating, beat the eggs and combine with the syrup and spices. Whisk the milk into the egg mixture and pour into the baking dish.
Place the baking dish in the hot water bath and bake 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the mixture is not quite set (it will still jiggle in the middle).
Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serve by inverting the sliced pieces of flan on serving dishes so that the honey drips over the entire portion.
Meringue Clouds
Instead of discarding the egg whites from your separated yolks called for in Hollandaise sauce, use them to make these light and fluffy sweets.
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
YIELD: 12 meringues
TIME REQUIRED: 45 minutes
Preheat the oven to 250ºF. Butter and lightly flour baking sheets (alternatively, use waxed or parchment paper on the baking sheets).
Beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the salt and cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the sugar and maple syrup while continuing to beat. Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture is glossy and stiff.
Using a spoon, drop the mixture on the baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until firm and dry, but still white, about 30 to 40 minutes.
If desired, cool, put a scoop of ice cream or other filling between 2 meringues, and top with whipped cream.
Spaetzle (Egg Dumplings)
Although these noodles can be served alone, they are also good accompanying Mean Rooster Stew (pages 190–192).
2 ½ cups flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup water
½ cup bread crumbs for garnish
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup butter
YIELD: Serves 4 to 6
TIME REQUIRED: 35 minutes
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and add the eggs. Work them into the flour, slowly adding the water until the dough is moist.
Fill a pan with water and bring to a gentle boil. Place a colander over the water, and press the dough through it with a wooden spoon, a little at a time, into the boiling water. If the dough is too thick to force through the colander, add more water to it. Cook the dumplings for 3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Don’t crowd the noodles in the cooking water. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a warm dish when cooked.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the breadcrumbs and brown until golden. Top the noodles with the crumbs, and serve hot.
Cheddar Corn Fritters
Fritters go well with pork dishes, chili, and other hearty stews. They can be served with warm sour cream or honey as dipping sauces.
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
½ cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons maple syrup
vegetable oil for frying
TIME REQUIRED: 40 minutes
Combine the corn with the egg yolks, cheese, and green chiles. Stir in the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, maple syrup, and salt. Beat the egg whites in a metal bowl until they form peaks, then fold them into the fritter batter.
Put enough vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet to come 2 or 3 inches up the sides, and heat to 375ºF. Drop the batter by heaping teaspoons into the oil, taking care not to let the fritters crowd each other. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip them over with a slotted spoon and cook for another 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Keep them warm in the oven, or serve immediately.
Spoon Bread
This great for when you want a quick bread to accompany chili or salty pork dishes. I make mine in a cast-iron skillet and serve it in the pan at the table.
3 cups whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, separated
green chiles, chopped fine (optional)
¾ cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
YIELD: Serves 6
TIME REQUIRED: 45 minutes
Scald 2 cups of the milk in a medium saucepan. Mix the remaining milk with the cornmeal, add to the scalded milk, and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.
Beat the egg yolks and set aside. Beat the egg whites until stiff and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Add the butter, salt, and beaten egg yolks to the cornmeal mixture. Add the baking powder and optional chiles and mix well. Fold in the egg whites. Turn the mixture into a greased casserole or cast-iron skillet and bake 30 minutes, until golden.
Commercially available doughnuts have made the homemade versions somewhat of a rarity in these modern times. Growing up, doughnuts made on the stove were as common an item for breakfast on the weekends as French toast or pancakes. This recipe is adapted from the New York Times Cookbook.
4 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1 cups buttermilk (substitute ¾ cup whole-milk yogurt thinned with ¼ cup milk)
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
4 eggs
¼ cup melted butter
canola or safflower oil for frying
YIELD: Makes about 3 dozen doughnuts
TIME REQUIRED: 40 minutes
Mix together the flour, nutmeg, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
Beat the eggs until thick, and gradually beat in the sugar. Add the melted butter and buttermilk, then add the flour mixture. Mix well and chill for about 30 minutes.
Turn the dough out on a well-floured board. Roll to ¼ inch thick, then cut with a floured cutter.
Fry a few doughnuts at a time in the hot oil (use a cast iron Dutch oven or frying pan filled about 3 inches deep with the oil and heat it to 375ºF) for about 3 minutes on each side, or until brown.
Sauces, Condiments, and Dressings
Hollandaise Sauce
The hardest part about making this sauce is having it break, or curdle. If this happens, just whisk a little warm water into the finished sauce and serve immediately.
1 stick (¼ cup) softened butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice, preferably fresh
3 large egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper—salt to taste
YIELD: Makes about 1 cup
TIME REQUIRED: 25 minutes
Combine the egg yolks and water in the top of a double boiler and whisk over hot (not boiling) water until fluffy.
Slowly add pieces of the butter, beating with the whisk continuously as it melts. Add the salt and lemon juice. Continue beating until all ingredients have been added and the mixture is thick. Stir in the cayenne, and serve the sauce immediately.
Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups corn, canola, or safflower oil
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
YIELD: Makes about 2 cups
Beat the eggs, then mix with the salt and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Turn to high, and slowly drizzle the oil into the blender jar until the mixture is thick. Pour mayonnaise into a storage container and add fresh herbs, chopped onions, cayenne pepper, or other spices, as desired. The mayonnaise will keep in the refrigerator for one week.
Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chives, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
¼ cup pickle relish
YIELD: Makes about 1 ¼ cups
Combine all ingredients and blend well. Add chopped garlic, capers, and tarragon if desired.
Five-week-old “Barnyard Classic” chicks hatched out in an incubator huddle together in the coop.
