Get Crackin'

Day 26

If asked to list my top five favorite foods, eggs would likely make the cut. So it's no surprise that I've been looking forward to the day dedicated to the incredible edible protein ever since I cracked open the Level 2 book.

My preferential egg is either sunny side up or over-easy; either way, the yolk is extremely runny. I love them straight up with salt and pepper, paired with a hamburger, or atop a pile of hot pasta. That's what I call a good egg.

The lesson succeeded in teaching me some new techniques. We started class with a couple demos. Chef made us oeufs brouilles, or French-style scrambled eggs. They are much better than the American style, which I associate with being dry, neon yellow and under-flavored—probably the result of one too many bad hotel continental breakfasts. French scrambled eggs are soft, a bit runny and light yellow, due to the addition of cream and butter. Yum.

Chef then showed us the proper way to poach an egg and sent us on our way. I love the "swirl" technique, where you stir the simmering water and distilled vinegar mixture and drop your egg in the middle of the mini tornado. It forms the best looking poached egg you've ever witnessed. I will definitely be more apt to make eggs Benedict (Ryan's favorite) on Sunday mornings.

Oeufs cocotte a la creme (baked eggs with cream) came next. The eggs were placed in a ramekin dish with heavy cream and a bit of either chorizo or foie gras, and the dish was set in a bain-marie for gentle cooking in the oven. It's a great dish for entertaining.

Of course, we also worked on our omelet-flipping skills. For me, this is going to take some practice. Every time I flip, the omelet breaks. Chef said the key is to brown the bottom of the omelet and use a significant amount of olive oil. I prefer the rolled omelet (not the flat, Basque-style one) not only because it doesn't require flipping but also because the eggs are supposed to be a little runny on the inside.

The class ended with stuffed eggs, Chimay style, which are basically amped up deviled eggs. The stuffing is a blend of the hard-boiled yolk, mushroom duxelle and Mornay sauce (a bechamel with gruyere). The egg halves are covered with the sauce and shredded cheese, then placed under a broiler until they brown.

At this point, I should be egged out. Instead, I went home and made sabayon and spooned it over fresh berries.

It was egg-actly what I needed.