Eggs
Soft and Hard Boiled Eggs.—For soft boiled drop into boiling water and boil 3 to 3½ minutes. A better way is to have water boiling in a saucepan. Take from fire, add eggs quickly, cover, and let stand off fire away from drafts from 8 to 10 minutes, according to freshness of eggs.
Hard boiled eggs should be simmered at least 20 minutes. This gives mealy yolks, which digest more readily than sodden ones.
Poached Eggs.—Toast small slice of bread for each egg; trim and lay on hot platter. Have frying-pan partly filled with salted water. When simmering, carefully break in 1 egg at a time. Baste with the water until white is firm, take up with skimmer, trim edge of white and slip on toast.
Scrambled Eggs.—Beat together 4 eggs, ½ cup cream or rich milk, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper. Turn into hot buttered pan, stir till set. Serve on toast.
Chopped boiled ham or other cold meat may be mixed with the eggs before cooking.
Omelet.—Break 3 eggs in bowl; add 1 teaspoon cold water. Beat with fork till mixed. Add ½ teaspoon salt. Turn into very hot buttered pan, shake and stir till eggs begin to set. Let form, fold and turn out on hot platter.
Fancy Omelets.—Finely chopped cooked meats, vegetables cut fine, chopped parsley, etc., may be added to plain omelet and dish named according to what is added, as ham omelet, omelet with peas, etc.
Orange or other Sweet Omelet.—Separate and whip whites and yolks of 3 eggs. Pour yolks over whites, add grated rind of orange and 1 tablespoon of orange juice, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar. Mix and cook as above.
Omelet Soufflé.—Break 6 eggs into separate cups; beat 4 of the yolks, mix with them teaspoon flour, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, very little salt; flavor with extract lemon or any other flavors that may be preferred. Whisk the whites of the 6 eggs to firm froth; mix them lightly with yolks; pour the mixture into a greased pan or dish; bake in quick oven. When well risen and lightly browned on the top it is done; roll out in dish, sift pulverized sugar over and send to table. You can also pour some rum over it and set it on fire, as for an omeletau rhum.
Plain and Fancy Baked Eggs.—Butter small stoneware dishes. Carefully break egg in each. Add salt, pepper, and bit of butter. Bake in oven till white is set.
May be varied by buttering dish and adding chopped parsley or ham, soaked bread crumbs, chopped onions, or a little stewed tomato.
(Decorative Design)