38 breakfast cookery permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© goodheart-willcox...

38Breakfast Cookery

Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.

Objective

• Implement basic egg preparation methods.


Preparing Eggs

• Basic preparation methods for eggs include– simmered– poached– scrambled– omelets– fried


Simmered

• Typically called boiled eggs, but they should be simmered

• Eggs cooked at a full boil will be tough or rubbery with a green ring surrounding the yolk

• Lower-temperature cooking produces a tender, evenly cooked egg with a bright yellow yolk


Cooked in the Shell

• Coddled, soft-cooked, and hard-cooked eggs are all simmered in their shells

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Cooked in the Shell

• Time is used to determine doneness of eggs cooked in their shells

• Cooking time is also the way some diners order their eggs


1. Place enough water in a pan to cover eggs and bring to a simmer [185°F–205°F (85°C–96°C)].

2. Gently lower egg(s) into the water.

Technique: Cooking Eggs in the Shell

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3. After the water returns to a simmer, time the cooking according to desired doneness.

4. Remove egg(s) from the water and serve immediately. Eggs should be served in an egg cup or bouillon cup. Hard-cooked eggs should be cooled in cold water before peeling.

Technique: Cooking Eggs in the Shell


Poached

• Poached eggs must be cooked at a lower temperature than simmered eggs

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Poached

• When poaching, add a small amount of vinegar to the water to help coagulate the egg white

• A properly poached egg should be somewhat spherical in shape, not flat


1. Fill a pot with enough water to fully cover eggs and bring to a boil. Lower heat to poaching temperature [165°F–180°F (74°C–82°C)] and add 1 ounce vinegar for every quart of water (30 mL per liter).

Technique: Poaching Eggs

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2. Crack an egg into a small bowl or cup. Lower the egg to the water and turn it out of the bowl.


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3. Using a slotted spoon, gently turn or swirl the egg to form a round shape with the white enveloping the yolk.


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4. Poach the egg for about 3 minutes. When properly cooked, the egg can be easily handled. Check doneness by removing the egg from the water with a slotted spoon and gently pressing on the egg with your finger. The egg should be soft to indicate that the yolk is still liquid.


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5. After the poached egg is removed with a slotted spoon, shock it in ice water or pat dry on a clean towel for immediate service.



Scrambled Eggs

• Scrambled eggs are beaten before being cooked

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Scrambled Eggs

• A small amount of liquid is often added to make them fluffier

• Cook over moderate heat to avoid dry, rubbery, brown, or curdled eggs


Technique: Scrambling Eggs

1. Break eggs into a mixing bowl and add 2 tsp. (10 mL) of water or milk for each egg. Beat the mixture well using a whisk.

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The egg mixture may be seasoned with salt and pepper if desired.


2. Heat enough butter to coat the bottom of a seasoned or nonstick pan until it begins to bubble. Pour eggs into pan.


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3. Stir continuously while cooking over moderate heat.


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4. Cook until eggs are set but still moist. Serve immediately.



Omelets

• The process for making an omelet begins the same as for scrambled eggs

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Omelets

• Finished omelets should be light, fluffy, and moist

• Often include other ingredients such as cheese, mushrooms, herbs, meat, and vegetables

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Omelets

• American-style omelet– Additional ingredients are added into the pan at

the same time as the eggs– Ingredients are bound by the eggs as they cook– Eggs are cooked until the outer surface is lightly

browned

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Omelets

• American-style omelet (continued)– Eggs are removed

from the pan and folded in half to form a half circle on the serving plate

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Omelets

• French-style omelet– Only the eggs are placed in the pan at the

beginning– Additional ingredients are added after the eggs

begin to coagulate– Ingredients become a filling that is enveloped by

the omelet

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Omelets

• French-style omelet (continued)– Omelet should have

a smooth, unbrowned surface

– Eggs are folded three times or rolled when placed on the serving plate


1. Heat a small amount of clarified butter in a small nonstick sauteuse.

2. Sauté any ingredients that need to be cooked in the butter.

3. Pour in beaten eggs and cook while stirring.

Technique: Preparing American-Style Omelets

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4. When the eggs begin to coagulate, stop stirring and allow the eggs to form into a single sheet. Cook until lightly brown.

5. Fold omelet in half and slide onto the serving plate.

Technique: Preparing American-Style Omelets


Frittata

• When cooking a frittata, the eggs and ingredients are placed into the preheated pan at the same time

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Frittata

• After the eggs form a cohesive mass, the omelet is allowed to brown lightly

• The omelet is flipped and browned on the other side

• Frittatas are often thicker than other omelets because they are served open-faced


Fried Eggs

• May be cooked in a small sauteuse or on a griddle

• Clarified butter is the preferred fat to use

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Fried Eggs

• Diners order fried eggs cooked to a certain doneness– Easy: cooked enough to fully coagulate the

whites, but the yolks are left liquid and runny– Medium: have yolks that are thick and sticky but

still liquid– Hard: have yolks that are fully coagulated and dry

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Fried Eggs

• Experienced cooks can tell the doneness of eggs by gently pressing on the yolks

• Sunny-side up and basted eggs are not flipped during cooking

• Flipping eggs over without a spatula requires skill and practice


1. Heat enough butter to coat the bottom of a seasoned or nonstick pan until it begins to spatter when a drop of water is added.

Technique: Frying Eggs

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2. Crack the desired number of eggs directly into the pan and cook over moderate heat according to the desired method.


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Sunny-side up–cook eggs to desired doneness.


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Basted–spoon hot fat from the pan over the eggs while cooking them to the desired doneness.


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Eggs over–cook the eggs long enough to fully coagulate the whites. Gently flip the eggs and continue to cook to the desired doneness.


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3. Slide the eggs out of the pan onto a serving plate. Serve immediately.



Objective

• Summarize how various breakfast meats are cooked.


Breakfast Meats

• Meats complement eggs in the traditional American breakfast

• Professional cooks frequently cook bacon, sausage, and ham in the oven


Bacon

• Baking results in even cooking, nicely shaped strips, and the ability to cook more bacon at one time with less effort

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Bacon

• Lay out the strips of bacon in a single layer on a sheet pan and bake in a moderate oven


Ham and Canadian Bacon

• Ham is best quickly panfried or grilled

• Canadian bacon is cooked in the same manner as ham


Sausage

• Breakfast sausage comes in two forms—links and patties

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Sausage

• Links are made by stuffing fresh ground pork, turkey, or chicken into casings

• Patties consist of ground meat formed into small disks without casings

• Breakfast sausages are panfried, grilled, or baked until well-done


Objective

• Compare breakfast batters and their uses.


Breakfast Batters

• French toast, pancakes, and waffles are popular breakfast foods

• All involve the use of a batter containing eggs


French Toast

• French toast probably originated as a way to utilize stale bread

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French Toast

• The batter that is used to soak slices of bread could be described as a custard or royale

• Once the bread has absorbed the batter, it is fried on a griddle or a nonstick pan to create a golden brown exterior with a moist, rich inside


Pancakes

• Pancakes, or hot cakes, are a form of quick bread that is cooked in a pan or griddle

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Pancakes

• Pancakes are leavened with baking soda or baking powder

• Flavorings and fruits or nuts can be added to the basic pancake batter

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Pancakes

• Keys to making a good pancake– Avoid overmixing the batter– Preheat the pan or griddle to the proper

temperature– Turn pancakes only once when bubbles appear

on the surface and the bottom is golden brown– Serve pancakes as soon as possible


Waffles

• Waffles are a quick bread like pancakes, but the batter is thicker and contains more fat

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Waffles

• The nonstick surface of the waffle iron should be maintained and kept seasoned

• Preheat the waffle iron before making waffles to ensure that they are crisp and do not stick


Objective

• Explain how to properly prepare common hot cereals.


Hot Cereals

• The ratio of liquid to cereal and the cooking time vary depending on the type of grain and how it was processed

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Hot Cereals

• Cook the cereal until it is smooth and moist, with no lumps

• After a period of time in the steam table, more liquid may need to be added to hot cereals

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Hot Cereals

• Popular hot cereals– Farina: made of processed and ground wheat– Grits: made from coarsely ground hominy corn– Rice: starchy varieties of rice that are cracked

and cooked to a smooth consistency

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Hot Cereals

• Popular hot cereals (continued)– Cornmeal mush: coarsely ground dried corn

cooked as a porridge– Oatmeal: comes in two different styles—rolled

oats and steel cut


Review

• Name the basic egg preparation methods

– Simmered– Poached– Scrambled– Omelets– Fried eggs

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Review

• Why should eggs not be cooked at a full boil?

– Eggs cooked at a full boil tend to become tough or rubbery and may have a green ring surrounding the yolk

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Review

• How is doneness determined for eggs cooked in their shells?

– Time

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Review

• Why is vinegar added to egg poaching liquid?

– The acid helps coagulate the egg white

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Review

• Describe the differences between American-style and French-style omelets– American-style: ingredients are incorporated

in the eggs as they cook; are cooked until the outer surface of the eggs is lightly browned; folded in half

– French-style: ingredients are a filling that is enveloped by the omelet; surface is smooth and unbrowned; folded three times or rolled

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Review

• Describe the variations of fried egg doneness

– Easy: cooked enough to fully coagulate the whites, but the yolks are left liquid and runny

– Medium: have yolks that are thick and sticky but still liquid

– Hard: have yolks that are fully coagulated and dry

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Review

• Name the common types of breakfast meats

– Bacon– Sausage– Ham– Canadian bacon

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Review

• What types of breakfast foods are made using batters?

– Pancakes– Waffles– French toast

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Review

• How does pancake batter differ from that of waffles?

– Pancake batter has less fat and is thinner

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Review

• Name the popular types of hot cereals

– Farina– Grits– Rice– Cornmeal mush– Oatmeal

38 breakfast cookery permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.© goodheart-willcox...

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