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Cooking of True Proteids Continued: Eggs: Puffy

PUFFY OMELET FOR TWO Beat the yolks of four eggs until thick and lemoncolored; add a dash of pepper, one-fourth a teaspoon-ful of salt, and three tablespoonfuls of water. Beat the whites of two eggs until dry, then turn the yolks over the whites, and fold the two together. Have a tablespoonful of butter melted in the omelet pan; turn in the mixture, spreading it evenly over the pan. Let the pan stand, where there is moderate heat, about two minutes, then set it into an oven of moderate heat, to "set" the egg throughout. When a knife or spatula, thrust down in the centre of the omelet, can be removed without uncooked egg adhering to it, the omelet is done. Remove at once from the oven; score the centre of the top at right angles to the handle of the pan, fold at the scoring, and turn on to a hot platter. Much beating of eggs -- as in the puffy omelet -- especially if the number of yolks does not exceed the number of whites, causes dryness in the finished product. For this reason. a sauce of some kind improves a puffy omelet. Half or three-fourths a cup of tomato sauce poured around the foregoing omelet, after it is turned upon the platter, makes it much more acceptable. The two extra yolks may be omitted. PUFFY OMELET WITH LEFT OVERS One-fourth a cup -- or even less -- of cold, cooked peas, string beans, asparagus tips, mushrooms, chicken, ham, fish, oysters, lobster, etc., stirred into cream, tomato, or Bechamel sauce, are all admissible for adding flavor and juiciness, as well as bulk, to a puffy omelet.

COOKING A PUFFY OMELET ON THE GAS RANGE On account of the air beaten into the eggs, a puffy omelet presents a braver appearance than does the French omelet, made of the same number of eggs; also the "knack" of making it successfully is easily acquired. But if the oven be not heated for some other purpose, it seems wasteful to heat the oven. To obviate heating the oven, manage in this way: Two stove "lids" are required. When the omelet is set, place the lid over the pan, which should not be too shallow, letting it rest on the edge of the pan, then set the other lid over the fire with the omelet upon it. Do not have the upper "lid" too hot. QUESTIONS 1. The shell of an egg is porous. How does this occasion the spoiling of eggs? 2. Why are eggs packed with the small end down-ward? 3. Why can the freshness of an egg be determined by shaking it? 4. If tenderness be desired in a product (as doughnuts, cookies, etc.), should whites or yolks of eggs predominate in the mixture? Why? 5. Why is a larger number of yolks than of whites preferable in omelets and custards? 6. How may eggs broken into cups be poached in the oven and avoid overheat? 7. Should you add uncooked ingredients to an omelet?

ADDITIONAL RECIPES FOR COOKING EGGS EGGS WITH CREAM IN RAMEQUINS Butter ramequins holding one, two or three eggs as desired. For three eggs scald a scant half a cup of thin cream or rich milk. Scald the milk in the rame-quin or use a saucepan and turn the milk into the ramequin. Break in three eggs, sprinkle a few grains of salt over the whites and set the dish into a moderate oven. If the dish is raised on little feet from the bottom of the oven, it may go directly into the oven, A ramequin, like the one shown in the illustration, holding three eggs, should be surrounded with hot water during the cooking. When the egg begins to set, sprinkle the surface with grated cheese and return to the oven to finish cooking. A LATE-SUMMER BREAKFAST DISH Peel three tomatoes, and cut out the hard piece around the stem end. Set in a well-oiled broiler, and cook over a rather dull fire until hot throughout, turning often to avoid burning. Dispose on a servingdish. Set above each two pieces of tomato, an egg carefully poached in salted water, and dispose a slice of broiled bacon above and below the eggs. If preferred, the tomatoes may be cooked in the oven.

POACHED EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS Have ready a small bunch of hot, boiled asparagus (See page 174) and two or three slices of toast. Dispose the asparagus on the toast with the heads all the same way. Over the asparagus pour three-fourths a cup of white, Bechamel or drawn butter sauce and set an egg carefully poached in water above. For variety substitute cooked celery (stalks, cut in inch lengths), peas, string beans, chicken, fish, etc., for the asparagus. All of these should be stirred into the sauce and then set in place on the toast.

EGGS WITH SPINACH PUREE (Serve with bread or rolls at Breakfast or Luncheon) Chop fine and press through a sieve half a cup of cooked spinach. Season to taste with salt, pepper, butter, and a dash of lemon juice. When thoroughly mixed and hot, use to line buttered egg-dishes or small casseroles. Break into each nest a fresh egg, sprinkle the whites of the eggs with a few grains of salt, and set to cook in a moderate oven. Serve when the egg is "set".