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by CK May is the month of flowers not just in the Philippines but also here in Calgary. A lot of my neighbors have done their spring cleaning and unfortunately I cannot cope up with them. I remember that during this time of the year my husband, Hank gets busier day by day. He takes care [...]
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The Main Ingredient – Decorated Eggs

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*** THE MAIN INGREDIENT segment aims to inform, educate, share skills and knowledge. It also hopes to satisfy most of our TASTEBUDS (the five elements of taste perception: salty, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami or savoury). Email your request INGREDIENT(s) be featured for its uses, nutrient contents and/or cooking tips, and comments/suggestions. ***The author has had 13 years of experience in the field of Food and Nutrition, Research, Community/Public Health and Food Services combined. Earned the Degree in Nutrition & Dietetics (Philippines.) and Food and Nutrition Technology Program (Canada). Information presented in this segment is based on nutritional books, online searches and personal knowledge of the author. Furthermore, all recipes featured in this segment are personally developed and/or original creations of the author, and are intended solely for personal use of the end users. This article and contents are copyrights and patent pending and therefore, no portion/ parts or whole can be re-produced for any other use other than stated above without the author’s expressed permission. Mbpd

Decorated eggs have been part of Easter Celebrations and tokens of friendship, love and good wishes. Since the beginning of time, the egg has been a symbol of fertility, creation and new life. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals. Whether pagan or ancient tradition, mysteriously laid by the Easter bunny or brought from Rome on the sound of church bells, eggs, will no doubt remain an Easter symbol. Now, Easter eggs come in different shapes and forms: chocolate or sugar, boiled or raw, clay or silver, lavishly decorated or made of wood.

In Eastern Christianity, both meat and dairy are still prohibited during the fast, and eggs are seen as “dairy”. It was traditional to use up all of the household’s eggs before Lent began. This established the tradition of Pancake Day being celebrated on Shrove Tuesday also known as Mardi Gras, a French phrase for “Fat Tuesday” to mark the last consumption of eggs and dairy before Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent. It was during Easter that the consumption of eggs resumed after the strict Lenten fast of forty days during which no eggs were eaten. The Easter egg tradition celebrated the end of the privations of Lent.

Easter or Resurrection Sunday is determined not by commerce but by movements of the sun and moon. That’s why merchants are not pleased as they can’t command the movement of their sales or inventory. Resurrection Sunday is finding the vernal equinox, or first day of spring on a calendar with astronomical data. The Sunday, after full moon as agrees with the divinely ordained purpose of heavenly lights as markers for times and seasons (Gen. 1:14) is assigned the Easter Sunday every year.

This is why I felt that the egg would be the most appropriate inspiration for this issue of The Main Ingredient. Eggs are excellent sources of protein and a solid source of 11 essential nutrients. Presently, more and more findings and studies have proved that healthy adults can enjoy eggs daily without increasing the risk of heart disease or increase levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood. Though long considered a springtime food, it has now become an essential ingredient in an array of culinary foods .

Although the most common egg used today is the hen’s egg, you can still buy eggs of duck, quail or goose and other fowl in most grocery stores. The eggshell’s color is determined by the breed and has nothing to do with either taste or nutritive value. The color of the yolk depends on the hen’s diet — wheat-fed hens will have darker yolks than hen’s fed other grasses. Free range eggs, are free running in a natural setting, nest and lay eggs in individual hole nests of wheat straw.

Tastebuds and Recipes

Savoury Appetizer: Deviled Eggs

Sweet/Savoury Breakfast:

Buttermilk Pancake with Very Berries Compote

Ingredients:

1 Large eggs, boiled

2 1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon of mayonnaise

1/8 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon grated zest of 1 lemon

Paprika

Procedure:

Peel boiled eggs and cut half lengthwise.
Scoop the yolks into a bowl Cover and chill yolks and whites separately for 1 hour.
Mash the yolks with a fork.
Add sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, and cumin. Whisk until well blended. Whisk in shallots.
Fill the egg white halves with yolk mixture, extending the mixture over part of the white. Generously sprinkle each stuffed egg with paprika and lemon zest.
Cover and refrigerate.
Serve well chilled.Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons sugar

3 cups buttermilk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for griddle

Compote:

½ cup strawberries

½ cup raspberries

½ cup blueberries

½ cup blackberries

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water,

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

Waffle:

Heat waffle griddle to 375 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter.
Whisk to blend all ingredients. Have small to medium lumps.
Using a pastry brush, brush remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto griddle. Wipe off excess.
Pour 1/3 cup batter into the griddle.
Cook for 1 ½ -2 minutes until all batter is cooked. Waffles have aromatic smell.
Spread butter and a tablespoon of low fat whipped cream on top
Pour compote over top.
Serve warm.

Compote:

In a small saucepan heat water and sugar until dissolved.
Add all berries. Simmer for 2 minutes.
Add vanilla. Set aside

Yield : 4 -2 servings

Savoury Entrée: Salsa Chicken

(Sarciadong Manok)

Sweet Dessert: Egg Custard

(Leche Flan)

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken, sliced 2” thick

2Tablespoons Patis (Fish sauce)

1Tablespoon Lemon juice

3 Eggs,large

4 medium tomatoes, sliced

1 onion, sliced

¼ cup red bell pepper, cut julienne

¼ cup green bell pepper, cut julienne

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

Marinate chicken in lemon and patis for 30 minutes.
In a skillet, heat oil. Add chicken until golden brown. Set aside.
Sautee onion. Add tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes.
Add chicken, bell peppers and simmer for another 3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste
Serve hot over steam rice.

Yield:4 Servings

Ingredients:

Custard:

10 egg yolks

1 ½ cup evaporated milk

1 ½ cup 390g) condensed milk

1 teaspoon juice of lime zest extract

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel sauce:

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup water

Procedure:

Caramelize sugar by mixing it with water. Bring to a boil for a few minutes until sugar is dissolved and turned into thick golden liquid.

2. Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds of any shape and spread covering the bottom of the moulds.

3. In a large bowl, mix well the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and lime zest extract. Blend until mixed well in a blender.

4. Pour egg mixture up to ¾ on the aluminum moulds.

5. Cover moulds individually with aluminum foil.

6. Steam for about 30 minutes or

7. Bake custard at 370C for 45 minutes.

(While baking, submerge the egg mixture on a larger dish 1/3 filled with water to avoid drying up.

8. Let cool then refrigerate.

9. To serve: run a thin knife around the edges of the mould to loosen the Leche Flan. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down show caramel on top.

Yield: 12 servings

Sweet Drink: Eggnog

Ingredients:

6 Large eggs
3/4 c Sugar
1 1/2 c Brandy ( optional)
1/2 c Rum ( optional)
4 c Milk
4 c Cream
1/2 c Icing sugar
Nutmeg and Cinnamon to sprinkle

Procedure :

Separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs.
Beat the yolks slowly while
Add sugar gradually until well blended.
Slowly add in the brandy and rum, then beat in the milk and half the cream. Set aside.
Just before serving, whisk the egg whites until stiff
Fold them into the eggnog mixture.
Whip the remaining cream and icing sugar until thick. Top each glass of eggnog with whipped cream and sprinkled nutmeg and cinnamon

Yield: 8 servings.

The Main Ingredient – Decorated Eggs

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