The Egg: The Edible Symbol of Life!

Spring is a time of new growth, new hopes, and new life. Throughout civilized history humans have viewed the simple egg as a symbol of the season. Back in ancient times the egg was a symbol of the universe, of creation, and in some cultures, luck, wealth, and health. In Jewish tradition it symbolizes promise. In Christian tradition it is a metaphor for resurrection, immortality, and the trinity.

The egg is also a food staple around the globe. In 2014 the world consumed approximately 179 eggs per person, with Asia supplying the majority.

Here in the United States, when one thinks of an egg, it is most likely from a hen, and different chicken breeds lay different colored eggs. But many animals other than birds lay eggs including fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. (Wait! What? Mammals?! Yes, the Duck-Billed Platypus and the Echidna.)

Here at Brian Beal Moore Catering, we often serve Deviled Quail Eggs as a canapé, as they are perfectly bite sized. I’ve prepared Scrambled Duck Eggs, which go perfectly well with a seared lobe of Foie Gras, served En Croute. I have always wanted to serve an Ostrich Egg, but I need to gather twenty adventurous eaters to do so! Interested?

My favorite preparation has always been gently scrambled, so much so that my mother once commissioned a potter to make us Scrambled Egg Cups, which she designed. They are about four-and-half inches tall, and perhaps three inches wide, flared, and have a saucer that can be also used as a lid. One fills them with hot water to warm them, begins to scramble the eggs, empties and dries the vessels, and fills them with the scramble. The design is such the eggs retain their heat all they way to the end, thus preventing the dreaded cold eggs!

Of course, I love Deviled, and I can easily down a dozen!

Everyone has their own preferences, and the variations are so wide and varied it is mind boggling!

Here are a few ideas that you may want to try to celebrate the season:

Basic Scramble: Whisk 2 eggs with 1 to 2 teaspoons milk or heavy cream; season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add the eggs and stir until just set.

Pastrami Scramble: Make Basic Scramble, adding 2 ounces sliced pastrami. Top with smoked gouda and scallions.

Biscuit Sandwich: Make Basic Scramble, adding 1 tablespoon chopped chives. Split a biscuit and melt a slice of cheddar on the bottom; top with a cooked sausage patty and the eggs. Cover with the biscuit top.

Spicy Scramble: Make Basic Scramble; add 1/3 cup shredded cheddar, and diced jalapeno to taste.

Creamy Scramble: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 2 teaspoons chopped chives, and salt and pepper. Whisk until just set.gs, top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees F, 25 minutes.

Smoked-Salmon Scramble: Make Creamy Scramble; serve on toasted whole-grain bread with smoked salmon.

Creamiest Scramble: Into two bowls, seperate whites and yolks of four large eggs. Whisk whites until foamy, then yolks til lemony yellow. To a nonstick skillet melt ? teaspoon of butter and add whites, Cook 2 - 3 minutes, stirring until set. Add yolks and cook a minute more. Remove from heat, salt and pepper as desired.

Eggs Rothko: With a biscuit cutter or juice glass, cut a hole in the middle of a thick slice of brioche. In a buttered skillet over medium heat, place the bread. Crack an egg in the center and do not move for 4-5 minutes, then flip gently to not break the yolk and cook for a minute or two. Remove and place on a heatproof dish, and cover edge-to-edge with grated good white cheddar. Broil until cheese is hot a bubbly.

Kimchi Eggs: (Korea) Sauté 1/2 cup drained kimchi and 2 sliced scallions in a nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 beaten eggs and stir until just set.

Migas: (Portugal) Sauté 4 thinly sliced corn tortillas and 1/2 cup each sliced onion and roasted poblano peppers in a skillet with vegetable oil, 5 minutes. Add 5 beaten eggs and stir until just set. Top with grated cheddar, salsa and cilantro.

French Scramble: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Add 4 beaten eggs and stir until just set, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons crème fra?che.

Caviar Scramble: Make French Scramble. Serve in clean eggshells; top with caviar.

Breakfast Burritos: Cook 1/2 cup diced chorizo, 1/2 diced onion and 1 tablespoon diced jalapeno in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 4 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup cotija cheese; scramble. Divide among flour tortillas, top with salsa and roll up.

Matzo Brei: Cook 1 sliced onion in 6 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet. Crumble 2 matzos in a colander and rinse with water. Beat 4 eggs with the matzo, add to the skillet and scramble until set; season with salt and pepper.

Hard-Boiled Eggs: Place 4 to 6 eggs in a large saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch and bring to a simmer. Cover, remove from the heat and set aside, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, then peel in a bowl of cold water.

Tokneneng: (Philippines) Take a Hard-Boiled Egg and dip in a simple batter (flour, baking soda, salt milk and water) and deep fry until golden.

Scotch Egg: (England) Coat a Hard-Boiled Egg in Breakfast Sausage and roll in Breadcrumbs or Panko. Deep fry until golden

Pickled Eggs: Make Hard-Boiled Eggs; peel and place in a large jar, then fill the jar with pickled beet juice. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 week.

Classic Deviled Eggs: Make Hard-Boiled Eggs. Halve lengthwise and scoop out the yolks. Mash with 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon mustard, and a pinch each of cayenne, salt and pepper. Scoop into the whites.

Tarragon Egg Salad: Make Hard-Boiled Eggs; chop. Mix with 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 chopped shallot, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon, and salt and pepper. Serve on pumpernickel bread with sliced cucumbers.

Tea Eggs: (Japan) Make Hard-Boiled Eggs; crack the shells but don't peel. Simmer in a saucepan with 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3 cups water, 4 star anise pods, 3 black tea bags and a strip of orange peel, 1 hour. Drain and peel.

Egg-Mushroom Salad: Make Hard-Cooked Eggs; chop. Fry 2 cups sliced mushrooms and 1 cup chopped onion in 1/3 cup olive oil. Mix with the eggs, 3 tablespoons sour cream, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Serve on rye toast.

Scalloped Eggs: Make Hard-Cooked Eggs. Slice and layer in a buttered baking dish with 2 sliced boiled potatoes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Whisk 6 tablespoons each milk and sour cream with 1 tablespoon flour. Pour over the eggs, top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 degrees F, 25 minutes.

Classic Omelet: (France) Beat 2 eggs with salt and pepper. Place a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1/2 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt. Add the eggs and stir briefly with a rubber spatula, then let the bottom set but not brown. Fold like a letter.

Spinach Omelet: Make Classic Omelet; before folding, fill with 3 tablespoons chopped cooked spinach and 2 tablespoons goat cheese.

Asparagus Omelet: Make Classic Omelet; before folding, fill with 3 tablespoons chopped cooked asparagus and 2 tablespoons shredded gouda.

Fruit Omelet: Make Classic Omelet without pepper; before folding, fill with sliced strawberries. Top with ricotta.

Healthy Omelet: Cook and crumble 1 slice turkey bacon. Toast 1/4 cup corn in the drippings; add 2 tablespoons salsa verde. Make Classic Omelet (No. 25) with 4 egg whites, and olive oil instead of butter. Fill with the bacon and corn before folding.

Family Omelet: Beat 8 eggs with 2 tablespoons milk, and salt and pepper. Cook in a large skillet as directed for Classic Omelet; fill with 1/2 cup each diced ham, gruyère and sautéed peppers.

Sweet Omelet: Make Classic Omelet without pepper; fill with 1 tablespoon jam. Top with confectioners' sugar.

Poached Eggs: Bring a skillet of water with a splash of vinegar to a simmer. Crack eggs into individual cups, slip into the water and poach until the whites set. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Eggs Benedict: Make the hollandaise: Purée egg yolk, with 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and cayenne and salt to taste. Pulse in 2 tablespoons melted butter. Place the sauce in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water; whisk until thick. Make Poached Eggs; serve on English muffins with fried Canadian bacon and the hollandaise.

Arepas Benedict: (Venezuela) Make Eggs Benedict; use arepas or corn cakes instead of English muffins and serrano ham instead of Canadian bacon. Stir chopped cilantro into the hollandaise.

Bacon-and-Egg Salad: Make Poached Eggs. Sprinkle bacon with five-spice powder and fry until crisp; crumble and toss with arugula, sliced pear and vinaigrette. Top with the eggs.

Nest Egg: Cut a round out of a slice of bread; toast the bread in a nonstick skillet with butter. Crack an egg into the hole, add salt and pepper, cover and cook until the white sets. Serve with bacon.

Nest Egg with Manchego: Cut a round out of a slice of bread; flatten and press back in the hole. Toast the bread in an ovenproof skillet with butter. Crack an egg into the hole, sprinkle with 1/2 cup grated manchego and bake at 375? until set, 2 minutes. Top with smoked paprika and parsley.

Eggs in Purgatory: (Italy) Fill a small baking dish halfway with hot marinara sauce. Crack in 6 eggs and bake at 350 degrees F until the whites are firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Top with Parmesan.

Moroccan Eggs: Toast 1 cup chickpeas and some ground cumin and paprika in an ovenproof skillet with olive oil. Fill the skillet with hot marinara sauce. Crack in 6 eggs and bake at 350 degrees F until the whites are firm, 10 to 12 40. Fried Eggs: Crack 4 eggs into a skillet with 2 teaspoons bacon drippings, butter or oil. Add salt and pepper; cook until the edges are opaque, 2 minutes. Cover and cook 4 to 6 more minutes.

Fried Eggwich: Make 1 Fried Egg and fry 2 slices Canadian bacon. Serve on a toasted English muffin with sliced tomato and jack cheese.

Steak and Eggs: Mix 1/2 stick soft butter with Worcestershire sauce. Season 1 pound flank steak with salt and pepper; sear in plain butter. Make Fried Eggs (No. 40). Slice the steak and top with the flavored butter and the eggs.

Nicoise Deviled Eggs: Make Hard-Cooked Eggs (No. 5); halve and scoop out the yolks. Mash with 3 tablespoons olive oil, a can of tuna, chopped parsley and a splash of lemon juice. Scoop into the whites; top with sliced olives and tomatoes.

Huevos Rancheros: (Mexico) Sauté 1 each diced jalapeno and garlic clove in a skillet with vegetable oil and a pinch of cumin. Add 1 can crushed tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped chipotles in adobo; simmer until thick. Add 4 eggs and poach until set. Serve with tortillas and queso fresco.

Spaghetti Pie: Mix 1/2 cup milk, 8 beaten eggs, 3 cups cooked spaghetti, 1 cup shredded pecorino, chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. Cook 1/4 pound diced pancetta in a small cast-iron skillet. Add the egg mixture and cook until the bottom sets, then bake at 325 degrees F, 25 minutes.

Ham Frittata: (Italian) Beat 8 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 3/4 cup shredded pecorino, and salt and pepper. Sauté 1 cup sliced asparagus and 3 ounces diced ham in an ovenproof nonstick skillet with oil. Add the eggs; cook until the bottom sets, then bake at 325 degrees F, 25 minutes.

Spring Frittata: Soak 1/2 cup stale bread cubes in 1/2 cup milk; mix with 8 beaten eggs. Add 3/4 cup ricotta, 1 teaspoon chopped thyme, and salt and pepper. Sauté 1 cup shredded zucchini in an ovenproof nonstick skillet with oil. Add the egg mixture; cook as directed for Ham Frittata.

Spanish Tortilla: Simmer 2 1/2 pounds sliced potatoes and 1 sliced onion in 1 1/2 cups olive oil until tender. Drain, then mix with 8 beaten eggs. Pour into a nonstick skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook until almost set, 15 minutes; flip and finish cooking, 5 more minutes.

Baked Prosciutto Cups: Coat 4 6 ounce ramekins with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Add 2 prosciutto slices to each, overlapping slightly and covering the bottom and leaving a slight overhang. Add Add 1 large egg to each and bake 13-14 minutes in a 375 degrees F, until set.