The fried egg is accused of being simple, easy and almost a poor man’s food, but the truth is that, if it is of quality and is well prepared, it is a delicacy in its simplicity. And despite the hackneyed saying, not so easy to fry eggs to perfection, with its soft white, the crunchy lace and an intact, bright yolk, with a liquid interior, waiting to embrace the whole plate with its mellowness.
It is true that not everyone likes eggs in the same way, and the undercooked yolk generates rejection in some palates, but a good fried egg must be, above all, juicy and smooth, without being greasy. If we also like the lace, another factor that complicates the elaboration comes into play, although it is nothing that practice does not fix, adding a little prior theory.
Fried eggs, a not so caloric delicacy
The fried egg also has a reputation for being unhealthy, when in fact it is not so caloric with respect to other elaborations of the same. According to data from the BEDCA, a standard hen’s egg, cooked or hard, has about 145 kcal per 100 g of edible portion (an L size egg weighs about 63-73 g with shell), and about 10.2 g of fat totals. If it is fried, present some 185 kcal per 100 g, with 14.5 g of fat.
The problem tends to be, rather, in the bad frying and, particularly, in the accompaniments. A simple fried egg, just right, drained and fried with olive oil, is nutritious and healthy; The thing changes if we leave it greasy and combine it with French fries, bacon, ham or chorizo, and a lot of bread. We don’t even talk about fried egg burgers or dripping bacon sandwiches.
How to fry a perfect egg, step by step
First of all, we have to prepare the tools: soup bowl or ladle, skillet (better if non-stick), slotted spoon and plate, with optional kitchen paper. As for the ingredients, as many eggs as we want to fry, olive oil -or sunflower, which can be heated more and does not leave flavor- and, also optionally and always for seasoning later, salt and pepper.
You have to heat a good base of oil in the pan, leaving a thickness of just under a finger, and make sure it gets a good temperature but without exceeding the smoke point. We can always guide ourselves with a kitchen thermometer to be more precise. While it is heating, we can open the egg or eggs carefully, depositing them in the bowl or ladle.
Once the oil is hot, we just have to pour the raw egg by letting it slide over it, as close as possible from the surface of the pan; this way it won’t break or splatter. To control that the oil does not jump, a trick that usually works is to first add a bread crumb, which will also give us a clue as to when the oil has reached the right temperature. We will not put salt yet, as we would only be able to dry the yolk ahead of time.
In order for the white to be cooked with a sprig and the yolk to remain liquid or honeyed, we need larde the egg, that is to say, bathe the egg white with the oil using a slotted spoon. It is a movement that must be applied quickly, being careful not to bathe the yolk, once the edge of the egg has already begun to take on more color. In this way, we will be gently cooking the upper part of the white, surrounding the yolk so as not to curdle it.
Since the oil will be very hot, the sprig will quickly begin to form on the edge of the egg. Once it is at the desired point, you just have to submerge the slotted spoon in the oil, slide it under the egg and remove it carefully, letting excess drip off of fat. We can let it rest lightly on kitchen paper, or serve it directly.
Heat a finger of olive oil in a pan with enough diameter so that the eggs can be cooked without overlapping. Once very hot, without reaching the smoking point, pour the eggs by first opening them in a bowl or directly onto the oil carefully, as close to the surface as possible.
Bathe the white with the oil using a slotted spoon once the edge of the egg has already begun to take on more color, without touching the yolk. Once the lace is at the desired point, submerge the slotted spoon in the oil, slide under the egg and remove it carefully, letting the excess fat drain off.
With what to accompany fried eggs
In addition to the classic pair of salt and pepper, we can go further with the dressings that will enhance the flavor of our fried eggs, inspiring us with the flavors that best match according to the science of food pairing. The fine lemon zest or lime will give them a fresh and light touch, while the black salt kala namak it will multiply the flavor to unsuspected levels, thanks to the fact that it already recalls the fried egg with its touch of sulfur.
If we prefer to bet on the umami to develop new nuances of intense but subtle flavor, we can crown them with Parmesan or grana padano (then watching the added salt, or they will be very salty), black truffle, soy sauce, miso or fish roe. A few drops of maple syrup or molasses also create a very interesting contrast of hues.
Fried eggs can be enjoyed alone or with an infinite number of dishes and products, as a complement or forming combo dishes. Anglo-Saxons usually eat them for breakfast with bacon, potatoes, beans, waffles or pancakes, and ranchers are very popular in Mexican cuisine served on a corn or wheat tortilla, with vegetable sauce and other optional accessories. In Germany and many other countries like more topping toast with all kinds of bases and dressings.
In Spain, broken eggs with ham and potatoes triumph, they are also very popular as filling for sandwiches and sandwiches, often accompanied by some cold meat, cheese, tenderloin or, in a lighter version, salad and lean cold cuts. They usually accompany Cuban rice, ratatouille or migas, as they actually enrich any vegetable, rice, pasta or sauce base. A good example is the Korean bibimbap, which supports just about anything.
Photos | iStock – Unsplash – Pixabay – Jules – City Foodsters
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