How to hard boil an egg.
1. Put the eggs in one layer on the bottom of the pan. Put the pan in the sink. Run water into the pan until the water is 1 inch over the eggs. Put the pan on a burner. Turn it to medium-high heat.
2. Let the water come to a boil. Put the lid on the pan when the water is boiling. Move the pan onto a cold burner. Set the timer for 15 minutes for Large-sized eggs (or for 12 minutes for Medium-sized eggs or for 18 minutes for Extra Large-sized eggs).
3. Put the pan in the sink when the time is over. Run cold water into the pan until the eggs are cool. Put the eggs into the refrigerator if you’re going to use them later or peel them if you’re going to use them right away. Be sure to use all the cooked eggs up before a week is over.
4. Gently tap a cooled egg on the countertop or table until it has cracks in it. Roll the egg between your hands until the cracks turn into small crackles all over the egg.
5. Use your fingers to start peeling off the shell at the large end of the egg. If you need to, you can hold the egg under running cold water or dip it in a bowl of water to make peeling easier. Throw out the pieces of eggshell when the egg is all peeled (or put them in the compost pile.) You can eat the egg or use it in a recipe when it’s peeled.
Ingredients:
3 sticks lightly salted butter
1/2 cup tarragon wine vinegar
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 tablespoons finely minced green onions
2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons dried chervil
10 cracked peppercorns
7 egg yolks
3 teaspoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
6 thin slices butter, room temperature
How to do it:
In a saucepan, melt butter, clarify and set aside. In a separate saucepan, combine vinegar, vermouth, green onions, parsley, tarragon, chervil, and peppercorns. Over high heat, reduce this liquid until it barely covers the bottom of the pan. Cool the mixture by setting the pan in cold water before adding the eggs. In a heavy saucepan, not over heat, place egg yolks, water and cooled reduced vinegar mixture, beating with a wire whisk until frothy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Place over low heat and continue beating vigorously several minutes longer. The pan should be removed from the heat often during this process to ensure slow cooking. Beat constantly until it is the consistency of a thick cream sauce.
Remove the pan from the fire, and while continuing to beat, slowly add clarified butter to the mixture a tablespoon at a time until all the butter is used. Add salt, parsley or chives, while beating in well. If mixture curdles, add 1 tablespoon cold water and beat vigorously. To prevent scum from forming on the top, cover the sauce with 6 thin slices of butter and place on top of the stove near the pilot light or place in a double boiler over lukewarm water. You may add a tablespoon of warm water and beat again before serving.
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1/2 stick unsalted butter, clarified
How to do it:
Sift flour into mixing bowl and gradually add milk, beating with a wire whisk. Add eggs, salt and 1 tablespoon butter. Beat until fluffy and let stand for 20 minutes to allow flour to absorb liquids. This prevents tearing when turning crêpes. Beat again before ready to use.
Pour 2 teaspoons clarified butter into frying pan, coating bottom. Heat pan until almost smoking. Pour just enough crêpe batter into pan to make a thin coating. Lift pan and roll mixture until bottom is covered. Loosen edges with spatula and flip when brown. Brown other side and remove to a platter.
Continue until batter is used up. These can be stacked as cooked. Roll up with favorite preserve or syrup.
If a sweet crêpe is desired, add 1 tablespoon sugar to the batter.
Yields 16 nine inch crêpes.
Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks
2 cups corn oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to do it:
Beat eggs yolks in a large bowl with a metal whisk until frothy, about one minute. Slowly add 1 cup of oil, whisking until oil is incorporated before adding more. Whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, then gradually whisk in the remaining 1 cup of oil. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
Yield: 2 1/3 cup