The First-Time Cook. Sophie Grigson

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ them set. Once the eggs have browned a little at the edges, reduce the heat to moderate and continue cooking until the whites are cooked through to the yolk, occasionally spooning the fat over the whites. Lift out of the pan with a fish slice and tuck in.

      Scrambling

      The very best, creamiest scrambled eggs are those cooked slowly and lovingly in a bowl set over a pan of simmering hot water – try it one day when you have plenty of time (it can take 20 minutes or more of fairly constant attention). Meanwhile, stick with this quicker, not-quite-so-ideal method, which is better suited to the normal pace of life. Remember that scrambled eggs should never, ever be cooked in advance and kept warm. That way you end up with ghastly over-cooked, rubbery, institutionalised scrambled eggs instead of the luxuriously creamy, tender confection that properly scrambled eggs should be.

      Break two eggs per person (or three if ravenous) into a bowl and whisk together. Season well with salt and pepper but do not add milk or water. Place a small saucepan or frying pan over a low heat and add a good knob of butter. Let it melt, then pour in the egg. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, scraping the base and sides of the pan as the egg sets on them. Keep going until the saucepan contains a creamy, thick primrose-yellow scramble of eggs. Whip off the heat swiftly, scrape the scrambled egg straight on to plates or toast and dish up.

      Smart scrambled eggs Sunday brunch or breakfast with someone special is the time to dress up your scrambled eggs in full finery. Something as simple as stirring chopped fresh herbs into them as soon as they are cooked brings a touch of glamour – try chopped chives, tarragon or coriander. More fancy is the addition of strips of smoked salmon and some chopped chives, or sautéed sliced mushrooms, cooked alongside in a frying pan. I also love diced deseeded tomato or sun-blush tomato and roughly torn-up basil, again stirred in just as the scrambled egg reaches the perfect creamy consistency.

      Poaching

      Beautifully poached eggs are things of great purity. Some people love them on toast for breakfast, though I happen to prefer them at lunch or supper perched on top of a nice piece of grilled smoked haddock with a mound of spinach, or on pasta tossed with (ready-made) red pesto and rocket leaves, or on a warm spinach and bacon salad. There is something so very inviting about their wibbly-wobbly exterior, just begging to be breached, allowing the yolk to flow out in a flood of molten gold.

      As I have discovered the hard way, over a number of years, it is only worth trying to poach eggs that are extremely fresh – up to four days, or at a pinch a week. In this state the thick white clings closely to the yolk, swaddling it in a protective layer. This is exactly what you want when poaching an egg. After a week or so, the white thins and no longer holds fast to the yolk. Result – when slid into hot water, the white floats off in disintegrating ribbons and your poached egg is a barely salvageable disaster. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

      

      How to poach an egg

      1 Take a non-stick, high-sided frying pan, or a wide shallow saucepan. Fill it to a depth of at least 2.5cm (1in) with cold water and season with salt. Bring up to a boil, then reduce the heat so that the surface of the water trembles provocatively, with only the occasional burp of a bubble.

      2 Break the first egg gently into a teacup or small ramekin or glass. Swirl a small whisk round and round in the trembling hot water to form a vortex. Remove the spoon and swiftly tip the egg into the centre of the vortex. As the water settles back down, use the bowl of a spoon to nudge any straying white back on to the yolk. Cook for approximately 3 minutes.

      3 Cook no more than two or three eggs in the pan at any one time. Once the white has set, lift the poached egg out carefully, with a draining spoon if you have one (allowing water to drain back into the pan). Set it down on a plate lined with a double layer of kitchen towel to mop up dampness, then serve.

      Fried Eggs with Coriander, Cumin and Balsamic Vinegar

       These are fried eggs with attitude – jumping and sizzling with flavour. The recipe is based on the brilliant breakfast I tasted down at the wholesale vegetable market in Bogota in Colombia, many years ago. There’s something about chilli and garlic and runny egg yolk first thing in the morning that is decadent and exotic and kicking. A great way to start the day.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgECWAJYAAD/4RAaRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAAJYAAAAAQAAAlgAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDEwOjA1 OjA1IDE5OjE1OjM0AAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAQABAACgAgAEAAAAAQAAAfSgAwAEAAAAAQAAAowAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAAO7AAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAYgMBIgACEQEDE

СКАЧАТЬ