COOKERY 9/10 QUARTER I Module 1 – Prepare Egg Dishes WEEK 2 Learning Outcome 2 – Prepare and Cook Egg Dishes Learning Objectives At the end of the lesson, you are expected to: 2.1 identify the market forms of eggs 2.2 explain the uses of eggs in culinary arts and cook egg dishes in accordance with the prescribed salad Information Sheet 1.2-1 Market Forms of Egg There are three market forms of eggs namely: fresh, dried (whole, egg whites/egg yolks), and frozen (whole, egg whites/egg yolks). 1. Fresh Eggs or shell eggs may be purchased individually, by dozen or in trays of 36 pieces. 2. Frozen Eggs – are made of high-quality fresh eggs. They come in theform of whole eggs with extra yolks and whites. Frozen eggs are pasteurized and must be thawed before use. 3. Dried Eggs – are seldom used. Their whites are used for preparing meringue. Dried eggs are used primarily as ingredients in food industry. They are not commonly sold directly to consumers. Eggs are also sold in several processed forms: bulk or fluid whole eggs (which sometimes includes a percentage of extra yolks to obtain a specific blend), eggwhites, and egg yolks. Pasteurized eggs are used in preparations such as salad dressings, eggnog, or desserts, where the traditional recipe may have indicated that the eggs should be raw. These products generally are available in liquid or frozen form. Frozen egg products on the other hand are used as ingredients by food processors. Products containing egg yolk usually have salt, sugar or corn syrup added to prevent gelation or increased viscosity during freezing. They are packed in 30lB.containers and in 4-, 5-, 8-, and 10-lB. pouches or waxed or plastic cartons. Driedpowdered eggs are also sold and may be useful for some baked goods or in certain circumstances. For food service use, they are generally sold in 6-oz. pouches, and 3-lB.and 25-lB. poly packs. Egg substitutes may be entirely egg-free or may be produced from egg whites, with dairy or vegetable products substituted by yolks. These substitutes are important for people with reduced-cholesterol diet requirement. Information Sheet 1.2-2 Uses of Eggs in Culinary Arts Egg is cooked in many ways. It can be the main protein dish; it can be amain or accessory ingredient in dishes from appetizers to desserts. It can be cooked by dry heat, moist heat, with or without oil, as simply or as elaborately as one ‘s inclination for the moment. Indeed, it can be eaten anywhere. Effect of Heat on Eggs 1. Coagulation of proteins: white at 60-65 0C, yolk at 65-700C. • Beyond this temperature, over coagulation occurs and water is squeezed outcausing shrinkage resulting in a tough product. 2. Formation of greenish discoloration at the interface of the yolk and white when egg is overcooked • Due to the reaction between the iron in the yolk and the hydrogen sulfide liberated from the sulfur containing ferrous sulfide. • Reaction is favored by - High cooking temperature - Prolonged cooking • Reaction is prevented by immediate cooling of the egg (e.g. immersing in cold water) after cooking Uses of Egg 1. Cooked and served ―as is‖, e.g. • in the shell – soft cooked (5 minutes simmering) or hard cooked (15 minutes simmering) • poached – cooked in simmering water; addition of salt and vinegar hastens coagulation • fried – keep low to moderate temperature • scrambled – addition of sugar delays coagulation; addition of liquids and acids decreases coagulation point • omelet 2. Eggs as emulsifier • Lecithin and lysolecithin are responsible for the remarkable ability of egg yolkto act as an emulsifying agent; both are phosphoproteins containing polar and non-polar ends such that the polar end holds water while the non-polar end holds the fat, thus, prevent oil droplets in suspension from coalescing. 3. As binding, thickening agent, and gelling agents • Eggs are useful as binding, thickening and gelling agents because they contain proteins that are easily denatured by heat • Using whole egg requires lower coagulation temperatures resulting in a stiffer gel Addition of sugar, raises coagulation temperature producing softer, weaker gel • Softer gel is produced with the addition of scalded milk and acid • In cooking custards, Bain Marie, double boiler or steamer is used to avoid boiling which can produce a porous custard • Soft custards are produced by constant stirring. 4. As foam • When egg is beaten albumen is denatured, air is incorporated as white is stretched into thin films • With continued beating, the air cells are subdivided and volume is increased • Protein network dries up and stabilizes the gas or air foams - If only egg whites are used, the color turns white and soft peaks are formed. The egg proteins collect at the air/liquid interface of the air bubble andundergo surface denaturation. - If whole eggs or only egg yolks are used, the color becomes pale yellow with continued beating; volume is increased (but not as much as when only whites are used); no surface denaturation occurs. - With further beating of egg whites, liquid drains out, air bubblescoalesce and foam breaks. - The same changes occur when the foam is allowed to stand too long. - Maximum stability is reached at soft stage while maximum volume attained is at stiff stage - Stages in foam formation A. frothy – large air bubbles that flow easily B. soft foam – air cells are smaller and more numerous; foam becomeswhiter; soft peaks are formed when beater is lifted C. stiff foam – peaks hold their shape; when bowl is tipped, it holds, moistand glossy D. dry – moistness and glossiness disappear; specks of egg white areseen • Factors to be considered in foam formation (leavening agent) a. Beating time and temperature: as the time of beating increases, both volume and stability of the foam increases initially, then, decreases; white can be beaten/whipped more readily at room temperature than at refrigerator temperature – refrigerated eggs are more viscous, thus, hard to beat/whip. b. Eggs beaten at room temperature whip better resulting in bigger volume and finer texture. c. Whole eggs or egg yolk require more beating to produce a good foam d. Stored eggs foam faster but produce smaller volume than fresh eggs. e. Acids (e.g. cream of tartar, 1 t per cup) increase the stability of foams, but when added too early, delay foam formation (reduced volume) thus, increases the time necessary for beating f. Sugar also increases the stability of foams but delays foams formation (reduced volume), thus, it should be added after foaming has started and soft peaks are formed; sugar retards the denaturation of egg white g. Addition of soda increases stability and volume h. Addition of salt lowers quality of the foam i. Type of egg: duck eggs do not foam well because they lack ovomucin j. Dilution of egg white by water produces bigger volume but lesser foam; this produces more tender cakes, but in meringues, syneresis occurs. k. Applications of foam in cookery • as leavening e.g. in angel cake, sponge cake, chiffon cakes • as meringue, e.g. (a) soft meringue for topping of cream, chocolate, or lemon pie, requires a proportion of two tablespoons sugar per egg white (b) hard meringue for confections, base of fruit pies or Sans Rival Cake, requires a proportion of ¼ cup sugar per egg white • structural and textural agent – tenderness and fluffiness to products, e.g. fluffy or foamy, soufflé, divinity, foam cakes, popovers 5. As coloring and flavoring agentEgg Products 1. Balut from duck eggs 2. Pidan eggs 3. Century eggs 4. Pickled eggs Eggs may be cooked in a lot of ways: Egg Dishes • Eggs cooked in a shell Hard and soft-cooked eggs are cooked this way. Eggs should only be simmered and not boiled to prevent over coagulation which would causethe eggs to be tough. The optimum cooking time for eggs in shells is 20 to25 minutes. To avoid cracking of the eggs during cooking, refrigerated eggs should be warmed at ambient temperature before cooking. Before boiling,water at room temperature should be used. Sometimes yolks of eggs may become greenish during cooking. This color is due to the formation of iron sulfide. Darkening often occurs in eggs wherein the pH of the albumen is high. It may also be a result of cooking too long at very high temperature. To avoid this, fresh eggs should always be used. Eggs should be cooked within a minimum period and cooled immediately in running water after cooking. • Eggs prepared out of the shell This method involves breaking the egg and using both the yolk and white during cooking. Poaching, frying, and the process of making scrambled eggs or omelet are some of the common methods done. Culinary Uses: • Eggs as a thickening agent and binder When used as a binder or thickener, the hydrophilic colloids of yolks and whites, due to the presence of proteins are converted into a hydrophobic colloid thus turning it into a gel. At high temperature, the gel toughens. This explains why the white becomes an opaque mass when cooked at a temperature of 620C. For eggyolk, coagulation starts at 650C. • Eggs as leavening agent Baked products such as sponge cakes, chiffon cakes, meringues, and soufflés make use of eggs as leavened resulting in a light, airy texture.This is explained by the incorporation of air during the beating of eggs. Foam is formed when the albumen surrounds a colloidal system of air bubbles. When beating egg whites, overbeating must be avoided as this tends to stretch the albumen and would result in a dry, watery appearance.
