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maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 37 Eggcellently versatile We all tell our children that they can be anything they want to be when they grow up and if there is one food that can illustrate this example it has to be the egg. Whether it wants to be a beautiful wedding cake, deliciously warm custard, creamy mayonnaise, or a simple but perfect breakfast, the egg can be whatever it wants to be. Eggs are a useful source of pro- tein, iodine and essential vitamins and are almost indispensable to the cook. Hens' eggs are the type of egg most frequently used in cooking. Duck eggs, gull eggs and quail eggs are less frequently used and are generally eaten on their own, rather than in baking. Quail eggs are small with dark- brown speckled shells. Duck eggs are larger than hens' eggs and richer in flavour, lending a creamy depth to baked dishes. Goose eggs and ostrich eggs are even big- ger and for this reason are often blown out and decorated for East- er. Gulls' eggs are not widely avail- able, but if you do come across them, serve them in much the same way as quails' eggs. In Malta duck and quail eggs are available from specialist stores and some of the larger supermar- kets though other varieties of egg are more difficult to find. Chicken eggs Chicken eggs come in various sizes, from small to extra large, and various shades of brown, white and, less commonly, blue. The colour of the shell comes down to the breed of the hen that laid it; the difference in flavour is subtle, if noticeable at all. Often a recipe will state the size of egg required. Supermarket labels can be con- fusing. 'Farm fresh', for example, is a meaningless description, and the eggs could have been laid by chickens farmed in battery cages. 'Barn eggs' come from chickens kept inside, where there are a maximum of nine birds per square metre. 'Free range' egg produc- tion provides chickens with day- time access to runs covered with vegetation, with a maximum 2,500 birds per hectare. Organic eggs are from chickens with the same privileges as free-range and are produced according to Euro- pean laws on organic production. Growth promoters, artificial pes- ticides, fungicides, herbicides and commercial fertilisers cannot be used in the feed for organic pro- duction. Duck eggs Cooking with duck eggs doesn't call for a major revision in tech- nique. But there are differences: the yolks of duck eggs have more fat and the whites more protein than those of chicken eggs, and you need to take these differ- ences into account when cook- ing. Somewhat gentler cooking is the key. They are generally larger than a chicken egg but smaller than a goose egg, with a tougher shell, and therefore a generally longer shelf life. The yolk to white ratio is larger in duck eggs, making it a treat for yolk-lovers. They have been known to have a slightly oilier consistency and a sweet gamey flavour. The egg white has a tendency to become rubbery if over- cooked, therefore when frying, cook until almost done and then add a couple of tablespoons of water to the pan and cover to finish. They are an excellent substi- tute to chicken eggs in baking as the higher protein levels in the whites encourage cakes to rise and stay risen. The higher fat content in the yolks gives baked food a richer colour and flavour. The size of the egg should be taken into consideration, adjust- ing recipes by a ratio of one duck egg to two chicken eggs. Quail eggs Quail eggs are packed with vita- mins and minerals. Even with their small size, their nutritional value is three to four times greater than chicken eggs. Quail eggs contain 13% proteins compared to 11% in chicken eggs. They also contain 140% of vitamin B1 compared to 50% in chicken eggs. In addition, quail eggs provide five times as much iron and potassium. Un- like chicken eggs, quail eggs have not been known to cause allergies or diathesis. Actually they help fight allergy symptoms due to the ovomucoid protein they contain. Regular consumption of quail eggs has been known to help fight anaemia and infectious disease as well as promote digestive and nervous health as well as increas- ing sexual potency. Quail eggs can be consumed raw as quails are resistant to salmonel- la and other infections as a result of a high level of lysozyme that kills harmful bacteria. The health benefits of raw quail eggs are su- perior to those of cooked eggs. Fine food of the week Food GABY HOLLAND Ingredients • 4 large free-range eggs • 275g sausage meat • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves • 1 tbsp chopped fresh pars- ley • 1 spring onion, very finely chopped • salt and freshly ground pep- per • 125g plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 free-range egg, beaten • 125g breadcrumbs • Vegetable oil for deep frying Method 1. Place the eggs, still in their shells, in a pan of cold salted water. 2. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for exactly nine minutes. 3. Drain and cool the eggs under cold running water, then peel. 4. Mix the sausage meat with the thyme, parsley and spring onion in a bowl and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 5. Divide the sausage meat mix- ture into four and flatten each out on a clean surface into ovals about 12.5cm long and 7.5cm at its widest point. 6. Place the seasoned flour on- to a plate, then dredge each boiled egg in the flour. 7. Place each onto a sausage meat oval, then wrap the sausage meat around each egg. Make sure the coating is smooth and completely cov- ers each egg. 8. Dip each sausage meat-coat- ed egg in the beaten egg, roll- ing to coat completely, then dip and roll into the bread- crumbs to completely cover. 9. Heat the oil in a deep heavy- bottomed pan, until a bread- crumb sizzles and turns brown when dropped into it. 10. Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and deep- fry for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crisp and the sausage meat is completely cooked. 11. Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Recipe of the week Quail eggs are about the size of an olive but contain three to four times the nutritional value of a chicken egg Scotch eggs