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Eggs and Omelets

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
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Why it works: Bread and egg match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and 22,584 recipes mention both. Both carry (e)-2-octenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓

The recipe

Ingredients

Contains: egg, milk, wheat, tree nuts, shellfish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

Also mentioned in the method: walnut, nuts

Directions

  1. Scrambled Eggs with Boiled Ham. — Chop fine 4

  2. ounces of cold boiled ham, break 4 eggs into a bowl, beat with an egg beater until very light, add a little white pepper and 4 tablespoonfuls cold water ; continue the beating 2 minutes ; melt 1 tablespoonful butter in the blazer over the lamp, put in the eggs, stir until they begin to thicken, add the ham, stir and mix well together, and serve.

  3. Scrambled Eggs and Bacon.— Cut iVa ounce bacon into pieces % finger long and Vl inch thick ; place the blazer with the bacon over the lamp, fry light brown ; beat up 6 eggs, season with y4 teaspoonful salt, add them to the bacon ; as soon as they begin to set, draw the eggs with a spoon from the side to the cen- ter ; when firm, but still soft, put them onto a warm dish, and serve.

  4. Scrambled Eggs h, I'Americaine. — Break 6 eggs in a bowl, add % teaspoonful salt, Yg teaspoonful white pepper, beat 1 minute ; melt 1 tablespoonful butter in the blazer, pour in the eggs, stir until thick, then serve.

  5. EGGS AND OMELETS. 55

  6. Scrambled Eggs with Bread Crumbs.— Beat 4 eggs until light, add 4 tablespoonfuls cold water ; continue the beating with an egg beater 2 minutes ; add Vi teaspoonful salt ; melt 1 tablespoonful butter in the blazer, pour in the eggs, sprinkle over Va cupful grated bread crumbs when they begin to set, draw them with a spoon from the edge of the pan to the center until they become thick, then serve.

  7. Another way is to add, just before serving, 3 or 4 tablespoon- fuls grated cheese.

  8. Scrambled Eggs with Fine Herbs. — Place the blazer with 1 tablespoonful butter and 1 tablespoonful fine-chopped onion over the lamp; cook three minutes, then add % cupful fine-sliced mushrooms ; cover and cook 5 minutes ; season with y2 teaspoonful salt, a pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley ; beat 6 eggs in a bowl until very light, then pour it into the blazer ; as soon as the eggs begin to set, draw them with a spoon from the side of the blazer to the center until they are thick, then serve.

  9. Ham and Eggs. — Procure % pound boiled ham, cut into thin slices, melt Va tablespoonful butter in the blazer, put in the ham, cook 2 minutes on each side ; remove, lay the ham on a hot plate ; break separately 2 eggs over the blazer, and drop one at a time into the hot fat ; cook until the white is firm and the yolk soft ; carefully remove and place them on the ham ; con- tinue until the desired quantity of eggs have been cooked, then serve.

  10. If a slice of raw ham is taken, in place of cooked ham, heat the blazer, put in a little butter, cut the slice of ham into 2 or 3 pieces, put in the ham, cook a few minutes on each side, and finish the same as above.

  11. In case the ham is too salt, place it in the blazer, cover with 5

  12. cold water, let it come to a boil, then remove the ham, lay it for a few minutes on a napkin, and cook the same way.

  13. Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes. — Melt Va tablespoon- f ul butter, add 1 teaspoonf ul grated onion ; cook 2 minutes ; then add 1 cupful canned tomatoes, the thickest part ; season with Yi teaspoonful salt, ^^ teaspoonf ul pepper, % teaspoonful sugar ; cover and cook about 8 minutes ; then add 4 well-beaten eggs, stir until thick ; remove and serve either on toast, fried bread, or serve bread and butter with it.

  14. Boiled Eggs with Tomato Pepper Sauce. — Boil from 6 to 8 eggs 5 minutes, remove and lay them in cold water ; at the same time when the eggs are boiling, place the blazer over the water pan with ^/^ tablespoonf ul butter, 1 teaspoonful grated onion, 1 tablespoonful finely shredded green pepper ; cook 3 minutes ; add 2 peeled and fine-cut tomatoes or % cupful canned tomatoes, Vi even teaspoonful salt, the same of sugar ; remove the water pan with the eggs and place the blazer over the lamp ; cover and cook 6 minutes ; in the meantime remove the shell from the boiled eggs, lay them on individual dishes, pour over the sauce, and serve.

  15. Poached Eggs. — Place the pan half full of water over the lamp, add % tablespoonful vinegar (no more) and % teaspoon- ful salt ; cover and let it come to a boil ; then crack an egg, hold it close over the boiling water, and let it drop ; treat the remain- ing eggs the same way, lower the flame, so the water will stop boiling ; as soon as the white is firm, remove the eggs care- fully with a skimmer, cut them into round shape with a cake cutter, then slip them on to a hot plate.

  16. Care must be taken not to add too much vinegar, or it will spoil the flavor.

  17. EGGS AND OMELETS. 57

  18. Poached £ggs with Tomato Pepper Sauce.— Poach 4 eggs and lay them on 2 pieces of fried bread ; melt Va table- spoonful butter in the blazer, add 1 teaspoonful grated onion, 1 tablespoonful fine-cut green peppers ; stir and cook 5 minutes without browning ; then add 2 peeled and fine-cut tomatoes or '74 cupful canned tomatoes, V4 even teaspoonful salt, the same of sugar ; cover and cook 8 minutes ; pour the sauce around the eggs and serve.

  19. Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Beef. — Place 4 ounces of fine-sliced smoked beef in the blazer over the lamp, cover with cold water ; when boiling hot, remove, drain the beef, and chop it fine ; break 4 eggs into a bowl, beat with an egg beater until very light, add 4 tablespoonfuls cold water, beat 2 minutes longer, and add a pinch of pepper, no salt ; melt 1 table- spoonful butter in the blazer, add the eggs, as they begin to set draw the egg mixture with a spoon from the edge of the blazer to the center until they begin to thicken, then add the beef, stir a minute longer, and serve.

  20. Eggs au Miroir. — Place the blazer over the hot-water pan with Va tablespoonful butter ; as soon as melted, break 2 eggs in a cup, put them into the melted butter ; cook till the white is firm and the yolks soft ; remove them carefully with a cake turner, being careful not to break the yolk, and serve.

  21. Eggs Fritee. — Break as many eggs as wanted into separate cups, place the blazer over the lamp with 1 tablespoonful lard or butter ; as soon as melted, put in 1 egg, incline it slightly so the butter is all around the egg, pour the hot butter with a tea- spoon over the egg, turn it for 1 minute on the other side, lift it up carefully with a cake turner, dress it on a hot plate ; proceed and fry the remaining the same way until the desired quantity is cooked, adding more lard or butter if necessary.

  22. French Omelet. — Break 4 eggs into a bowl, season with % teaspoonful salt, beat with an egg beater 4 minutes ; melt 1 tablespoonful butter in the blazer, when hot pour in the eggs, draw with a fork from the edge of the blazer to the center ; when tlie omelet begins to get firm, let it remain '/j minute with- out stirring, then fold it over each side so that two sides meet in the center ; turn the omelet on to the hot dish, the folded side underneath, and serve. A tablespoonful fine-chopped parsley or fine-cut chives may be added to the eggs before they are cooked.

  23. German Omelet. — Separate the whites and yolks of 2 eggs, beat the whites to a stiff froth, mix the yolks with a pinch of salt and white pepper, add 2 tablespoonfuls cold water, pour the yolk mixture slowly while beating constantly into the beaten whites ; place the blazer over the lamp, when hot put in % table- spoonful butter, as soon as melted pour in the eggs, put on the cover, and cook 3 minutes, then remove the cover and shake the blazer to loosen the omelet ; if it sticks in some places to the pan, slip a broad-bladed knife underneath the omelet, lift it up on the side it sticks, and slip a small piece of butter underneath it ; aS soon as the omelet is loose, cover it again, and cook it till you can touch the top with your finger without any of the omelet adhering to it, then fold it over and slip it on to a plate.

  24. Oyster Omelet. — Place 12 medium-sized oysters in the water pan without their liquor, add % tablespoonful butter, '/a even teaspoonful salt, a little pepper, and 1 tablespoonful lemon juice ; place the blazer over the lamp and let the oysters boil up, then mix the yolks of 2 eggs with 4 tablespoonfuls cream, add it to the oysters, stir for a minute, then remove and set them warm ; next separate 3 eggs, mix the yolks with 3 tablespoonfuls cold water, add a little salt and pepper ; beat the white to a stiff froth, add the yolks slowly to the whites while beating constantly;

  25. EGGS AND OMELETS. 59

  26. have the blazer over the lamp, when hot put in 1 tablespoonful butter, as Boon as melted add the egg mixture ; cover and cook 5 minutes; then shake the blazer to loosen the omelet, cover again, and cook till it is firm to the touch ; then put a few oysters over the omelet, fold it over, and slip on to a hot plate, and lay the remaining oysters around it, pour over the sauce, and serve.

  27. Cheese Omelet. — Put 4 ounces fine-cut cheese in the chafing-dish pan, add ^/^ teaspoonf ul butter, '^/^ teaspoonful English mustard, 2 tablespoonfuls cream or milk ; place the pan over the lamp, stir until the cheese has formed into a creamy mixture, remove the pan, cover and set it in a warm place ; next prepare a French omelet, put over the cheese preparation, fold it double, and serve on hot plates from the blazer.

  28. Cheese Omelet, No. 3. — Prepare either a German or French omelet ; when done, sprinkle over 4 tablespoonfuls grated cheese, fold it and serve.

  29. Spanish Omelet. — Melt 1 tablespoonful butter, add 1 tablespoonful fine-chopped onions, 1 small fine-cut green pepper without the seeds ; cook 5 minutes without browning ; add 2 tablespoonfuls fine-chopped mushrooms, 1 fine-cut tomato or % cup canned tomatoes, 1 even tablespoonful salt, Va even teaspoon- ful pepper, 1 tablespoonful fine-chopped cooked ham, y^ teaspoon- ful sugar, and a little beef extract ; cover and cook 10 minutes ; prepare a German omelet of 3 eggs, pour 3 tablespoonfuls of the preparation over the omelet, fold it together, slip the omelet on to a hot dish, pour the remaining sauce over it, and serve.

  30. liObster Omelet. — Put '/a pint of cooked lobster meat over the lamp in the blazer, cover barely with cream or milk ; mix Ya teaspoonful cornstarch or flour with 1 teaspoonful butter,

  31. add it to tlis lobster, season with Vi teaspoonfnl salt and a little white pepper ; prepare either a German omelet of 3 eggs or a French omelet of 4 eggs ; put part of the lobster over the omelet, fold and slip it on to a hot dish, pour the remaining lobster around it, and serve.

  32. Tomato Omelet. — Melt ^/^ tablespoonful butter in the blazer ; peel and cut into quarters 3 ripe tomatoes, add them to the butter, season with % teaspoonful salt and the same of pep- per and sugar, cook 10 minutes ; prepare a German omelet of 3 eggs or a French omelet of 4: eggs ; lay half of the tomatoes over the omelet, fold it over and slip it on to a plate ; pour the re- maining tomatoes around it, and serve with toast or bread and butter.

  33. Tomato Omelet (No. %). — Drain 1 cup of canned toma^ toes in a sieve ; melt 1 tablespoonful butter, add the tomatoes, season with Vi teaspoonful salt, *^ teaspoonful pepper, and the same of sugar ; cook 10 minutes ; beat 6 eggs until very light, add them to the tomatoes, stir until they begin to thicken, then let rest for a few minutes, fold the omelet over and slip on to a hot plate and serve.

  34. Kidney Omelet. — Split 3 lamb kidneys, remove the white fatty part in center, cut the kidney into small slices ; fry % tea- spoonful grated onion in Va tablespoonful butter 2 minutes, add the kidneys, season with Vi teaspqonful salt, Vi teaspoonful pep- per, 2 tablespoonfuls sherry wine, stir and cook 5 minutes, sprinkle over Va teaspoonful flour, add Yj cupful water with a little beef extract, cook 3 minutes, add 1 teaspoonful lemon juice, remove and set aside. Then prepare either a German or a French omelet, pour over the kidney, fold over and serve.

  35. Rum Omelet. — Prepare an omelet of 2 large or 3 small eggs the same as in foregoing recipe, omitting the pepper;

  36. EGGS AND OMELETS. 61

  37. when the omelet is done, fold and slip it on to a plate, sprinkle over 2 tablespoonf uls granulated sugar, pour over Va gill of rum, hold a lighted match to it, set it on fire and serve.

  38. Strawberry Omelet. — Prepare a German-omelet of 3 eggs, add 1 teaspoonful sugar, omit the pepper ; bake as directed in former recipe (see German Omelet). Pick, wash, and drain 1 pint of strawberries, mash them with a fork, add 2 tablespoon- fuls sugar; when the omelet is baked, put part of the straw- berries over the omelet, fold and slip it on to a hot dish, pour the remaining around it and serve.

  39. Strawberry Omelet with Whipped Cream. — Pre- pare the omelet the same as in the foregoing recipe, put half the strawberries inside the omelet, spread the other half over the top of the omelet, and cover the whole with % pint of whipped cream sweetened with sugar.

  40. Nut Omelet. — Soak Va cupful shelled walnuts in 1 pint of cold water and % tablespoonful salt for 2 hours, then drain and break them into pieces; cut % pint of shrimps into fine slices; if canned shrimps are used, rinse them off with cold water before using; melt ^/^ tablespoonful butter, add the nuts and shrimps, cover and cook from 6 to 8 minutes, stirring them twice during that time ; season with ^/^ teaspoonful salt, % teaspoonful pepper, dust over '^/^ teaspoonful flour, stir 1 minute, add y2 cupful milk or cream ; continue the cooking a few minutes, then set aside. Prepare a German omelet of 3 eggs, pour half the shrimp mixture over the omelet, fold over and sUp it on to a hot dish ; pour the remaining shrimps around it and serve.

  41. Welsh Rarebit. — Place the pan with water over the lamp ; cover first with a plate, then with the chafing-dish cover ; as soon as it boils remove the pan and set it aside ; then put the

  42. 62 CANAPES AND SANDWICHES,

  43. blazer with % tablespoonf ul butter over the lamp ; when melted add 2 thin slices of bread and fry them light brown, lay the bread on the hot plate over the water pan, and keep it covered. Next clean the blazer. Then put i ounces fine-cut cheese into the blazer, add y^ teaspoonful butter and 2 tablespoonfuls cream, Vs teaspoonful English mustard, or a little Cayenne pepper ; stir till it forms into a creamy mixture ; then pour it over the fried bread, and serve.

  44. Note. — In place of cream, ale, beer, or water may be used.

  45. Cheese Fondu. — Fry 2 small slices of bread the same as for "Welsh rarebit, lay the bread on a hot plate over the hot- water pan ; crack 2 eggs in a bowl, beat until very light ; add 2 tablespoonfuls milk or cream, and again beat for a few minutes ; add a pinch of salt and a little Cayenne pepper ; grate 2 ounces American cheese ; place the blazer with 1 teaspoonful butter over the fire ; as soon as melted pour in the eggs, draw them with a spoon from side of pan toward the center; when the eggs begin to thicken add 4 tablespoonfuls of the grated cheese, mix and stir for a few minutes, then divide it over the 2 pieces of fried bread, and serve.

By Gesine Lemcke (1841–1904). Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.

  1. Bread + eggtop 6% of all pairs
    Aroma overlapstrong
    Mentioned together22,584 recipes

    Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).

  2. Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairs
    Aroma overlapstrong
    Mentioned together34,118 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  3. Butter + breadtop 3% of all pairs
    Aroma overlapstrong
    Mentioned together27,145 recipes

    Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).

  4. Ham + breadtop 3% of all pairs
    Aroma overlapstrong
    Mentioned together2,536 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (popcorn, roasted).

  5. Onion + beeftop 3% of all pairs
    Aroma overlapmoderate
    Mentioned together17,091 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

Flavor stand-ins for the parsley

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (ham, butter, onion, tomato, pepper, bread, beef):

  1. Garlicabout as good a flavor fit
  2. Celeryabout as good a flavor fit
  3. Thymeabout as good a flavor fit
  4. Parsleythe original

Fit is the average pairing score against ham, butter, onion, tomato, pepper, bread, beef. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes. This compares flavor only: it does not check the job the ingredient does in the dish (bulk, moisture, acidity, structure).