LESSON XLIII
EGGS: DIGESTION OF PROTEIN
THE DIGESTION OF PROTEIN.--It was mentioned previously that proteins are made up of many different substances. The materials composing proteins are called _amino acids_. There are 18 common amino acids. All proteins are not made up of the same amino acids. Amino acids in the various proteins differ not only in kind, but in quant.i.ty.
When proteins are digested, they undergo certain changes and are finally separated into their amino acids. As amino acids proteins are finally absorbed and carried to all parts of the body.
The digestion of protein begins in the stomach and continues in the intestines. The digestive juices [Footnote 47: The pepsin and hydrochloric acid of the stomach, the trypsin of the pancreatic juice, and the erepsin of the intestinal juice digest proteins.] of these organs change protein into soluble forms.
POACHED EGG
Fill a shallow pan about two thirds full of boiling water. Add 1/2 teaspoonful of salt to each pint of water; place b.u.t.tered m.u.f.fin rings in the pan. Break separately each egg into a saucer and carefully slip it into a b.u.t.tered m.u.f.fin ring. Cover the pan and place it where the water will keep hot _but not boil_. Pour a spoonful of the hot water on each yolk occasionally.
Let stand (about 5 minutes) until the white is coagulated and a film covers the yolk. Take up with a skimmer, drain, place on slices of toast, and serve at once.
An egg poacher may be used in place of the m.u.f.fin rings, or the water in the pan may be stirred in a circular motion and the eggs dropped at once into the "whirlpool." This tends to keep the white of egg from separating into pieces.
Eggs are thought by some to be much more tasty when poached in milk rather than in water.
GOLDENROD EGGS
3 or 4 hard-cooked eggs 2 tablespoonfuls flour 1/8 teaspoonful pepper 3/4 teaspoonful salt 1 1/2 tablespoonfuls b.u.t.ter or subst.i.tute 1 1/2 cupfuls milk 6 pieces of toast Parsley
Separate the yolk and white of the cooked eggs and chop the whites. Make a White Sauce of flour, seasoning, fat, and milk. Add the chopped egg whites to the sauce and pour it over the toast. Press the yolks through a strainer or crush them with a fork and sprinkle them over the top of the toast. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.
If the crusts are not cut from bread in making toast, it is well to dip the edges of each slice of toast for an instant in hot, salted water before adding the sauce (see _Cream Toast_).
QUESTIONS
Why is it advisable to pour occasionally a spoonful of hot water over the yolks of eggs that are being poached?
Explain why the chopped hard-cooked eggs in Goldenrod Eggs should be more easily digested than plain hard-cooked eggs (see Experiment 12, and _Solution and Digestion_).
LESSON XLIV
EGGS: OMELETS (A)
TO BREAK AND SEPARATE THE WHITE AND YOLK.--An egg is sometimes broken by cracking the sh.e.l.l with the blade of a knife or by striking the egg on the edge of a bowl or pan. The following method has also been found satisfactory, especially when it is desired to separate the white and yolk.
Strike the egg one blow upon the surface of the table. Put the thumbs together at the crack in the sh.e.l.l, then hold the egg upright, and gently break the sh.e.l.l into two parts. Then slip the yolk several times from one part of the sh.e.l.l to the other until all the white has run over the edge into a bowl or plate. Sc.r.a.pe out the sh.e.l.l of the egg.
Two kinds of egg beaters are used for eggs,--the Dover egg beater and the wire spoon. If the former utensil is used, the egg is generally dropped into a bowl; if the latter, the egg is placed on a plate.
TO BEAT AN EGG.--When the wire spoon is used to beat an egg, draw the spoon straight and swiftly through the egg, tilting the dish and lifting the egg beater so that the material will be turned over at each stroke.
Egg whites are beaten _stiff_ when the impression made by the beater is retained; and they are beaten _dry_, when the gloss has disappeared and flaky bits fly off as the egg is beaten. Egg yolks are beaten thoroughly when they are thicker and much lighter in color than before beating.
TO CUT AND FOLD BEATEN EGG WHITES AND OTHER MATERIALS.--Pour the beaten egg whites into the material with which they are to be mixed; then with a tablespoon edgewise, cut the ingredients, lift them, and turn them over the whites. Repeat quickly until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
EXPERIMENT 41: EFFECT OF BEATING A WHOLE EGG.--Break an egg into a bowl.
What is its approximate measure? With a Dover egg beater or wire spoon beat it thoroughly. What is the approximate increase in quant.i.ty? What has been beaten into the egg? What other difference is there between a beaten and an unbeaten egg?
(Use this egg for making Scrambled Eggs. See below.)
EXPERIMENT 42: COMPARISON OF EGGS BEATEN WITH A DOVER EGG BEATER AND WITH A WIRE SPOON.--Half the pupils of the cla.s.s beat eggs with Dover egg beaters and the other half with wire spoons. Compare results. What is the difference in the size of the air cells made by using the different utensils? Is there any difference in the quant.i.ty of the beaten eggs?
Which contains the more air?
EXPERIMENT 43: EFFECT OF BEATING EGG YOLK AND WHITE SEPARATELY.--Separate an egg and beat thoroughly the white and then the yolk with a Dover egg beater or wire spoon. What is the approximate increase in quant.i.ty? Which becomes lighter when beaten,--a whole or a separated egg? From this explain why every bit of yolk should be removed from the egg white before beating, if it is desired to beat the egg white as stiff as possible.
(Use this egg for making Foamy Omelet. See below.)
SCRAMBLED EGGS
4 eggs 1 teaspoonful salt Pepper 1/2 cupful milk 1 teaspoonful b.u.t.ter
Scald the milk in a double boiler and add the b.u.t.ter. Beat the eggs and add the seasoning. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture; return the whole to the double boiler, and cook, stirring constantly. When the mixture is thick and "lumpy" but still tender, remove from the double boiler and serve at once.
For economy, the b.u.t.ter may be omitted.
FOAMY OMELET
4 eggs 4 tablespoonfuls milk or water 1/2 teaspoonful salt Pepper 2 teaspoonfuls b.u.t.ter or subst.i.tute
Separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. Beat the yolks of the eggs until creamy; add seasonings and milk or water. Then beat the whites until stiff and cut and fold them into the yolk mixture. Place the fat in an omelet pan, heat, and turn the omelet into it. Cook _slowly_, occasionally turning the pan so that the omelet may brown evenly When the omelet is set and delicately browned underneath, place it in a hot oven for a few minutes to dry the top. Fold and serve immediately.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGURE 40--METHOD OF HOLDING PAN TO TURN AN OMELET ON TO A PLATTER]
TO FOLD AN OMELET--Run a spatula underneath the omelet to loosen it. Make a slight incision with a knife through the middle of the omelet at right angles to the handle of the pan, and fold the omelet over upon itself away from the handle of the pan. Grasp the handle of the pan in the right hand, placing the back of the hand underneath with the thumb pointing away from you. Then turn the omelet upon a platter (see Figure 40).
QUESTIONS
How are Scrambled Eggs usually cooked? From your work concerning the effect of intense heat upon eggs, explain the advantages of the method given above for Scrambled Eggs.
What is the proportion of liquid and salt for each egg of a Foamy Omelet?
Explain why it is especially important to cook a Foamy Omelet slowly.
What causes a Foamy Omelet to "fall"?
What is the test for the sufficient oven-drying of a Foamy Omelet?