The essence of this link in the chain of evolution is dual. It contains yolk and protein, whose qualities, taste and even the way they are used are different, although they are a harmonious unity.
No one knows which of them comes first, but, to be honest, the egg is much prettier to me than the chicken. I thought about their close relationship at a very young age, at the age of three or four. That year, Easter was late, warm and sunny, and we went to the village in a cheerful crowd, with our parents and their friends. Adults kindled a fire, strung meat on skewers and already drank something, eating Easter eggs. “Are you yellow?” – “Does not matter. Although … give me green. Barbarism, of course, how do they not feel sorry for spoiling such beauty? Spoiled, and on the table under the birch grew a hill of multi-colored shells …
By the way, in gastronomic terms, a good egg is trivial only at first glance: three minutes of soft-boiled cooking, ten – hard-boiled. The main subtlety of its preparation is in temperature. At 100°C, water boils in large bubbles – and this is unacceptable: it will not take even three minutes for the protein to be digested, and the yolk to remain cold! And after another seven minutes, the protein will become rubbery, while the yolk will acquire a grayish-sandy color and begin to give off sulfur. The difficulty is that the protein hardens at 60°C, and the yolk at 70°C. Therefore, the egg must be boiled only in boiling water, at a temperature of 80 ° C, or on a gentle steam: six minutes to get “in a bag”, and eleven – hard boiled …
marble eggs
Try simmering eggs in tea – plain or spiced with star anise, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and a few drops of soy sauce to add a salty note and bring out the color. Boil spices in tea for 5 minutes, then dip hard-boiled eggs (still hot, with broken shells) into it, cook for another minute, then turn off the heat and cool them without removing them from the tea.
So, in the midst of a picnic, a village resident Aunt Nyura dropped in on us, and we, as it should be for Easter, gave her an egg – a blue one. Probably wanting to say something childish, simple and understandable to my sister and me, she called him “chicken son.” Why son and not daughter? Probably the baby’s gender was inspired by its color. Around the yard, spreading their wings and lifting their priests up, a group of neighbor’s chickens rushed about – meaningless fuss, clucking and clouds of dust. And on the table, a bewitching dish of glossy eggs shimmered in different colors: peace, dignity, sheer admiration. Chicken and egg… How can children be so different from their parents? Perhaps this is the unity of opposites: the chicken symbolizes finiteness and petty earthiness; egg – rebirth and high simplicity. And together – family values.
Steamed eggs with asparagus
For 2 persons. Cooking time: 20 minutes.
- 2 very fresh eggs
- 14 green asparagus sprouts, 15 cm long
- 2 tsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 20 g butter
- 1 st. l. almond (or walnut) butter
- salt and pepper
Place the eggs and asparagus in a perforated steamer. Set the water in the steamer (or saucepan) to a medium boil, then place the bowl of eggs and asparagus in it, close the lid, and let it sit for 6 minutes. At the same time, melt the butter, remove from heat and whisk in the almond butter. Dip the finished eggs for no more than a minute in very cold water. Arrange the asparagus on plates, drizzle with the oil mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan. Peel the eggs, cut the egg already in the plate so that the hot liquid yolk falls on the asparagus; salt the whites, pepper the yolks. The delicate taste of almond oil goes well with slightly bitter asparagus.