Ingredient of the Month: Eggs

Today’s Ingredient of the Month is something that you all probably already have in your fridge. I mean, even lots of vegetarian people eat eggs because they’re such a good source of protein and are so incredibly versatile.

Eggs are made for frying, scrambling, poaching, baking and accompanying whatever you’re cooking with ease. They’re almost like the perfect package within a shell. You could even say they egg-cel at being egg-ceptionally tasty.

Tell me more:

The eggs that we most commonly eat come from chickens and contain a white and a yolk. They are a great source of protein with the orange yolk being the fat-containing part and the white containing more protein.

Where do I buy eggs:

Always buy eggs local if you can! There is a huge difference in taste and quality between fresh eggs and not. Thankfully these days, you don’t have to have a friend with chickens down the road (though, that’s the ideal situation) when stores like Whole Foods and local grocery stores carry eggs ra ised nearby.

I prefer the brown eggs because I like the look of them and it’s what I grew up eating. But, the color just depends on the breed of chicken and doesn’t necessarily affect the taste. There can also be blue, green and speckled eggs depending on the breed.

How do I store eggs:

Because of the way eggs are transported and sold in the US, eggs should always be refrigerated. (Unless you’re about to bake with them, then I suggest leaving out for an hour or so.)

How do I cook with eggs:

Egg dishes can range from incredibly simple (classic fried or scrambled) to eggs being one of many ingredients in a dish. I always like to have a carton of eggs in the fridge for baking and easy, tasty meals.

To simply fry an egg, I like to use a nice glug of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. After cracking it in the pan, season with salt and pepper then cover for 5 or so minutes until the eggs are cooked through but yolk is still runny (if you’re like me.) Here’s how I like to make the best scrambled eggs. I’m also a big fan of the egg in the hole (or toad in the hole): In a skillet over medium-high, melt some butter and add to the pan a piece of toast with a hole cut out of the middle. Crack the egg in the hole, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a few minutes until mostly set. Then, carefully flip (with the other side of the bread buttered) to cook for a few minutes on the other side. And don’t forget to brown the little “hole” piece of bread with butter in the skillet.