#119 How do you fry the perfect egg?
A great sandwich topping
Eggs are one of the most versatile foods in the world. There are so many ways to have an egg that it’s really impossible to get bored. Scrambled. French Omelet. Poached. Boiled. Fried. It’s actually incredible.
Every now and then, I enjoy having a perfectly fried egg for breakfast. Perhaps I’ll pair it with some sourdough with salted butter, or if I’m feeling extra I’ll make a nice steak sandwich with a large fried egg the star topping.
The fried egg is beautiful. It’s a blend of textures. You get the crispy edges from the well-cooked white that’s juxtaposed with silky, custard-like yolk. Every bite is a beautiful medley in your mouth.
It’s very easy to mess up a fried egg. The yolk might break. Or it might just stick to the pan and before you know it, your fried egg has turned into a sub-par scrambled egg.
To cook the perfect fried egg, all you really need is heat and patience. And yes, you don’t need a Teflon pan.
1. HEAT
Wash your pan (I use a stainless steel but a cast iron or ceramic pan works as well) and get it on high heat. Don't wipe it dry. We want to wait until that residual water boils. That's when we'll drop the fat in. Grass-fed tallow or ghee is a good choice. You could also use olive oil, but be careful not to let it smoke.
Once fat is in, distribute it evenly. This is CRUCIAL. Give about 30 seconds or so for the fat to come to temperature, it shouldn't take too long since the pan's already hot. Now, it's time to crack the egg.
Does your yolk usually break? If it does, there’s a good chance you’ve been cracking your eggs wrong. Never crack on the edge of the pan. What you want to do instead is give a few light taps on a hard surface like your counter top. This method will also lead to less egg shell in your egg.
Once you drop the egg in your pan, it should bubble vicariously. If it doesn’t, refrain from adding any more eggs and dial the heat up. Your pan wasn't hot enough — the egg's more likely to stick. Take note and wait slightly longer next time.
2. PATIENCE
This is by far the biggest mistake people make. They can't wait! For some reason, they’re absolutely addicted to poking their egg with a fork or spatula the moment it enters the pan.
This is wrong. You want to do nothing at all. Just wait. You've already done the difficult bit. For a fried egg to be crispy, you need to give time for the sear to form. Slowly, but surely, the sides will start to brown.
If you think the edges are cooking significantly faster than the centre, lower the heat slightly. You could also baste the egg in oil or toss a lid on for some steam to help you out. Around 1-2 minutes is all you need, and the egg will release itself from the pan.
Use a fish spatula give it a nudge and very carefully peel the egg off the pan, like you would a sticker. If you did it right you would’ve made a beautiful sear and your egg should come off completely CLEAN, where you still see the gleam of your stainless steel pan.
If your pan is big enough, you could definitely fry eggs together simultaneously. Just remember that every egg you put in lowers the temperature of the pan. The more eggs you fry, the longer you'd want the fat in your pan to come up to temperature. Heat management is crucial.
You need to be using things
Scuff the watch. Crack the screen. Wear the clutch.
Breakfast is the best meal
It doesn’t get any better than this
Natural materials
There’s something about natural materials that’s just different
Niche olive oil
This recipe for sourdough pain au chocolat is an adaption of these Sourdough Croissants. The laminated dough is naturally leavened with a sourdough starter.
Although these sourdough pastries are commonly called sourdough chocolate croissants, they aren’t technically croissants. ‘Croissant’ means crescent and refers to the crescent shape that croissants commonly have.
❋ TENNIS AND CUTLERY JOIN FORCES IN CHRISTOFLE’S WITTY COLLABORATION WITH THE FRENCH OPEN
Big deal tennis events may happen all the time, but something about this particular moment feels especially tennis-obsessed. Maybe it’s Venus and Serena both coming out with very sporty health and beauty lines, or Luca Guadagnino’s juicy upcoming tennis drama Challengers, but there’s a palpable passion for the posh sport lately.
“Posh” is an especially big vibe for French luxury brand Christofle’s new collaboration with Roland-Garros, also known as the French Open. The brand stashed a whole bunch of cutlery inside a tennis court-colored ball (er, egg) that no one in their right minds would want coming toward them. The reference for the design is subtle, accented with hints of the edge of a chalk-lined court beside the elegant logos for each brand. The end result is a chic, unique piece of upscale dining that doesn’t immediately inspire thoughts of tennis out of context, but is likely to register as a fun easter egg (ha) for those in the know.
❋ QUICK GINGER-CHILI PICKLED PERSIMMON
Ginger-Chili Pickled Persimmon are my favorite pickles of all! They are delicious on salads or as a tangy-sweet snack. Persimmon are only available for a short time each year, so this is the perfect way to save the season, and only takes five minutes to make!
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Vicariously? I believe we were going for ‘vigorously’
Great call on letting the water cook off to gauge temp. I find that ghee goes a long way to cooking a delicious egg- and it's very forgiving.