An Easter egg-stravaganza

Star-Bulletin staff and wire

Eggs are the quintessential ingredient in a lot of dishes. They make our cakes rise, thicken sauces and bind lasagna fillings. But eggs cook up well all by themselves, too.

Eggs are a good source of protein, calcium, iron, vitamins A and D, and riboflavin. There are about 75 calories in the average egg.

Eggs seem to be bad for you, good for you, bad for you, good for you, in cycles. Let moderation be the key to your enjoyment of anything, and eggs are no exception.

Let's get down to egg basics.

Types of eggs

Eggs come in two grades, A and AA, the former having slightly thinner whites and spreading a little bit more when you cook them. Grade A is fine for use in baking or as an ingredient in a dish, but use AA eggs when you want a good-looking cooked egg.

Eggs come in sizes from small to jumbo, which has less to do with appearance than it does weight. Most recipes are based on large eggs, 2 of which will yield a 1/2-cup of beaten egg. For comparison's sake, it takes 3 medium eggs to get a half-cup.

The color of the shell has no effect on quality. Brown eggs are laid by a different breed of hen, that's all. Egg yolks vary from light to bright yellow with no difference in quality. The yolk color depends on what the chicken was fed.

Storing eggs

Buy the freshest eggs you can. Use eggs a week or two before the date stamped on the carton. To tell whether your egg is fresh, put it in a glass of water. A fresh egg will sink. An egg past its prime will float because it has lost moisture through the shell to air.

Store eggs in the refrigerator in their original carton for 10 to 14 days. Don't use the egg-storage shelf in the refrigerator door; this is the warmest spot in the refrigerator.

Turn eggs so the point faces down. This will suspend the yolk in the white better.

Cooking techniques

Sunny-side up: Add a tablespoon or 2 of butter to a skillet on low heat. Crack eggs into a bowl to be sure that they're usable, and slide them one at a time from bowl to skillet. To get a firm white and nicely cooked yolk, cover the pan and cook just a few minutes. For "over easy," use a spatula to turn the egg carefully so the yolk will cook quickly on the pan bottom just before serving.

Scrambled: Lightly beat 4 to 6 eggs with 2 or 3 tablespoons of milk or cream, salt and pepper in a bowl. Melt about a tablespoon of butter in a skillet on low heat, swirling to cover the bottom and sides. Add the eggs, stirring constantly with a fork, and cook for about three minutes, so the eggs are set but not too dry.

Some things you can add to the beaten eggs before scrambling are crisp bacon bits, grated cheese, sour cream (instead of the cream or milk), capers, sauteed onions or mushrooms, cooked sausage pieces or snipped fresh herbs.

Soft-boil: Place egg in a pan, cover with water and bring to boil. Immediately turn off heat and cover. Allow to sit for 1 minute.

Poaching: Use a lightly greased saucepan filled 1-1/2 inches deep with water. Bring to a boil. Crack an egg onto a saucer. Once the water is boiling, take a spoon and stir quickly around the edge of the pan to create a whirlpool. Slide the egg off the saucer into the whirlpool and lower the heat. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg.

How to hard-boil

1. Place eggs in a saucepan. They all should fit in the bottom with about a 1/4-inch of space between them. Add water to cover eggs by 1 inch.

2. Put pan over high heat and bring to full, rolling boil.

3. Cover pan and remove from heat. Let eggs stand in the hot water, covered tightly, for 15 minutes, exactly.

4. Pour off hot water and run cold water over eggs until pan is cool. This stops the cooking, makes peeling easier and eliminates the green ring around the yolks.

Hatching a good deal

Island Fresh eggs: 3 dozen medium for $4 at Star Markets; $1.68 per dozen large at Daiei.

Mainland eggs: 99 cents per dozen for first 3 dozen large to Times Royal Card holders ($1.69 without card); $1.77 for 18 large at Sack N Save and $1.28 per dozen large at Foodland with Maika'i card ($1.69 without card).

Or make an omelette!