Eggs

[China Doll]

Hi All,

I've recently taken to eating eggs for breakfast. Admittedly I'm frying them at the moment which is bad but I was planning on getting a poacher tonight.

However, there's all that stuff about how eggs are actually bad for you. So is eating the yoke on toast on a daily basis actually not a very healthy breakfast at all?

Cheers
China

[lou 26]

Think of your cholesterol! The yolk has more cholesterol per ounce, by far, than any other food

[nickmo]

Hi C - you just keep eating your egg - Quote '...a large combined study of over 117,000 men and women in the United States has also shown that consuming up to one egg a day is unlikely to affect the risk of coronary heart disease in healthy men and women....'

and thats 'cos the intake of cholesterol is not the bad factor - its actually needed for the maintainence of healthy cell wall structure - but dietary fat intake is the bad boy....

Plus eggs have all the amino acids, minerals and proteins needed for a healthy diet, and are one of the best nutritional foods around.

More info here: http://www.nutritionandeggs.co.uk and click the links for details.

[BBWCHATT]

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-make-poach ed-eggs

[saxy_jag]

Eggs, like most foods, are only bad for you if you're allergic, eat far too many, or have gone off.

A little of what you fancy, on the other hand, does you a lot of good, as Nickmo has pointed out.

[saxy_jag]

I did mean, above, that eggs are bad for you if they've gone off - not if you have. If you've gone off, then there's nothing we can do for you, I'm afraid. ;-)

[johnlambert]

Why would you want to fry something that has been ejected from a hens 4rse?
try fruit + fiber instead, much healthier, (and hasn't been anywhere need a fowl's anus)

[China Doll]

Surf control on my poached egg lesson I'm afraid!

Tescos for a poacher it is then!!

[I.Don No]

hope you read this in time.......

you dont need to buy a specific poaching pan. all you need is a shallow frying pan. heat up the water in this and just before it boils break an egg or two into the water and reduce the boil....cooked to perfection in no time!

[China Doll]

Oooh ta!

I shall give it a go!

(And leave the washing up for my housemate!)

[theonlyone]

I poach eggs the same way as 1DonNo . , but you need to buy the freshest eggs possible , i'm lucky as I buy them from a guy around the corner who has them in the garden ,so better than shop bought .Why not have a dippy boiled egg with toast soldiers !!!

[cockroach]

That Marco chef said the other night the best way to poach an egg was in a very deep pan. bring it to the boil & drop the egg in slowly then the yolk starts to set as the white englufs it... I think it went something like that. Oh also some wine/vinegar in the water.

[theonlyone]

Poaching eggs in an open pan is trial and error , I boil the water then crack the egg in , leave for a minute ,then turn the heat down , splash the water over the egg if you don't want a sunny one . It should only take 4 -5minutes to cook . Enjoy !!

[browneyedgir]

A friend of mine told me how to make foolproof poached eggs. Put some clingfilm in a cup (so that it sags in the middle) then crack your egg into this leavinga gap of about an inch or so and then tie a knot in so watersealed. Bring normal sized saucepan of water to the bil and drop egg in for 3 mins. After 3 mins have elapsed take egg in clingfilm out of pan, open "bag" and ready to serve on your toast!

[johnlambert]

wouldn't that ^^^^^^^^^^^ melt the clingfilm?

[browneyedgir]

No. I've cooked eggs this way 3 times in the last week. Just have to make sure that clingfilm is not torn or pierced at all. I guarantee this works !

[theonlyone]

The thing to do is experiment , as eggs in a poacher are like rubber , give it a go , let us know how you fare ?

[Clanad]

As a point of interest, eggs are way down on the list of highest in cholesterol as seen here:
http://www.nutritiondata.com/foods-00007300000 0000000000-1.html

The highest or number 001 is Veal brains... of course every one likes those...

[nickmo]

Ignore the 'bottom' element of JL's comment - Normally so right and proper, but this time he needs a biology lesson - eggs are produced in the hen in the oviduct which has 5 sections involved in the forming of an egg (the last bit of the production being the shell otherwise you'd have some really uncomfortable hens) - that terminate in its own special opening (that deposits a 'bloom' on the shell to prevent bacteria and dust spoiling the egg as it is laid) - just like any animal has.....

A chickens' bottom is for waste matter, not eggs.......

And as for healthier fruit and fiber? there have been several scares over pesticide contamination in the past concerning the contents of these cereals, so a cooked egg - kills any bacteria present - looks like the preferred choice then...

[nickmo]

Oh and you know how to check if an egg is fresh?

Drop in a tall glass of water. Fresh eggs sink...stale ones float.

The ones at an angle are ok but getting stale, those sinking but staying on the pointed end should be hard boiled or fried, floating ones should not be used...they have more gas/air inside the shell deue to aging.

[China Doll]

Forget about boiling eggs.. i reckon Delia needed to start with this! Blimey... I'm actually astonished at the amount of ways to poach an egg!

Thank you to everyone who answered!!