Who said Humpty Dumpty can’t be put back together again?

By Gerald Etter

The egg had always been considered one of our perfect foods, but it fell out of favor because of cholesterol concerns and fears of salmonella contamination.
Unlike Humpty Dumpty, however, the egg has been put back together again, and it’s now back on the OK list.

The egg provides us with protein, iron and vitamins A, D, E and K, and a variety of essential fatty acids. Recent research has shown that moderate egg consumption, up to one a day, does not increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals. And with proper storage and handling, salmonella concerns can be minimized.

Keep in mind, these findings apply to the general public. If you have special dietary concerns, you should rely on your doctor.

The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has some tips on making sense of moderation, based on the fact that cholesterol is found in the yolks, not the whites. One example: You’ve prepared a dish that calls for one whole egg, but you substitute two egg whites (which works in many recipes). The day you serve that dish, you can also enjoy a whole scrambled egg for breakfast, as you will be consuming only one yolk for the day.

For most recipes, you can use two whites in place of one whole egg. Or a cholesterol-free egg substitute in place of whole eggs. Usually, a quarter-cup of egg substitute equals one whole egg. The package on the various egg substitutes contains this information.

In recipes that call for multiple eggs, you can substitute whites for whole eggs. For example, the ADA says, instead of two whole eggs, two whites and one whole egg. This works well for scrambled eggs, quiche and omelets.

As for safe preparation, the ADA says scrambled eggs should be cooked until no visible liquid remains, and poached, fried and sunny-side-up eggs until the white is set and the yolk is starting to thicken. Hard-cooked eggs should have whites and yolks that are completely set. Baked custards should yield a clean knife when sliced through the center.

To store egg dishes, keep them refrigerated, but for optimum safety, no longer than two days. Hard-cooked eggs can keep in the fridge for up to a week.
And until you use them, always keep raw eggs in the refrigerator.

Now let’s make some scrambled eggs. Remember that you can double or triple the ingredients for multiple servings, using a larger pan if necessary.

Custardy Scrambled Eggs
1 egg, plus whites of 2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)

Crack eggs into bowl and season with salt and pepper. Beat with fork until yolks and whites are blended. Melt butter in non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, covering entire bottom of the pan. Do not let butter burn. Turn down heat if necessary. Turn pan from side to side in a rolling motion so butter also films some of pan’s sides. Add more butter if necessary.

Reduce heat to medium and pour in beaten eggs. Begin stirring with wooden spoon, moving it to top of pan and down, also side to side. After about 30 seconds or so, as egg is setting and beginning to take on firmness, continue with wood spoon, bringing egg up, as it firms, so it is uniformly cooked.

After two to three minutes (this can vary, depending on stovetop heat and type of pan), scrambled eggs should be done. At this point, Julia Child would fold in soft butter or cream to give the eggs a soft, custardy texture. Scrape onto a warm, not hot, plate and serve with garnish of your choice — snipped chives, chopped tomatoes, etc.

Makes one serving.

(Egg yolks can be frozen; break and stir gently with 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt per yolk; freeze in ice cube container.)