Eggs five ways

Eggs are cheap, quick and full of protein. Master five methods and you always have breakfast, lunch or a fast dinner covered.

Egg safety basics

• Keep eggs in their box in the main part of the fridge, not the door, and do not leave them out of the fridge for more than 2 hours.
• Do not wash eggs before storing them. USDA advice is that washing is not necessary or recommended, as it can spread bacteria.
• Raw eggs in their shells keep about 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge. Hard-boiled eggs keep about 1 week.
• Eggs can carry Salmonella. US guidance is to cook eggs until both the white and yolk are firm, and to cook egg dishes such as frittata to 71C (160F). Young children, older people, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system are most at risk.
• Crack each egg into a small bowl first so you can catch bits of shell before they go into the pan.

Boiled eggs

• Put the eggs in a pan and cover them with cold water. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and take it off the heat.
• Leave them in the hot water for: about 3 minutes for a runny soft-boiled yolk, about 6 minutes for a jammy, set-but-soft yolk, or about 12 minutes for hard-boiled.
• Chill them in cold water afterwards to stop the cooking and make peeling easier.
• Use hard-boiled eggs in salads, sandwiches or on top of a lentil soup.

Scrambled, fried and omelette

• Scrambled: whisk the eggs, melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat, add the eggs and stir slowly until soft curds form. Take them off the heat while they still look slightly wet; they finish cooking in the pan's heat. Season at the end.
• Fried: heat a little butter or oil over medium heat and slide in the egg. When the edges turn opaque (about 1 minute), cover the pan and lower the heat. About 4 more minutes gives a sunny-side-up egg; about 6 minutes sets the yolk firm.
• For a fried egg 'over easy', flip once the whites start to set and cook about 1 minute on the second side; 3 minutes gives 'over hard'.
• Omelette: whisk 2 to 3 eggs with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a 20 to 25 cm non-stick pan over medium-low heat, add the eggs, and stir gently while shaking the pan, pulling cooked edges in so liquid egg runs underneath.
• When the surface is set but still moist, add fillings (cheese, herbs, tomato, spinach, mushrooms), then fold it in half or roll it onto a warm plate.

The template: shakshuka and other one-pan eggs

• 1. Soften onion and peppers in olive oil. 2. Add garlic and spices (cumin, paprika, chilli or harissa). 3. Add tinned tomatoes and a splash of water and simmer until thick. 4. Make wells, crack in the eggs, cover and cook until done to your liking. 5. Finish with herbs and serve with bread.
• Swap it: add diced potato or squash with the peppers for a heartier version (cook covered about 20 minutes until soft); stir in spinach for a green version; add drained chickpeas for extra protein.
• Spices: cumin, smoked paprika and fennel seeds; harissa for heat; za'atar or sumac on top.
• Worked example (serves 2): 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion and 2 peppers (sliced), 2 garlic cloves, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, a pinch of chilli flakes or 1 tsp harissa, 1 tin (400 g) tomatoes, a quarter of the tin filled with water, 4 eggs, salt, parsley. Simmer the sauce about 10 minutes until thick, add the eggs and cover for roughly 5 to 8 minutes, until the whites are fully set.

Fixes and tips

• Rubbery scrambled eggs or omelette: the heat was too high or they cooked too long. Use medium-low and take them off early.
• Eggs sticking: use a non-stick pan and enough butter or oil, and let the pan heat before adding the egg.
• Hard-boiled yolk has a green ring: overcooked. Stick to the timing and cool the eggs straight away.
• Shakshuka sauce too watery: simmer uncovered before adding the eggs, as the eggs will not thicken it.
• Shakshuka too spicy: serve with yoghurt or labneh and plenty of bread.