The Art of Boiling Eggs

For most of my life, making a boiled egg was a haphazard event.  I wasn't sure how long to boil the eggs, how much water to use.  More often than not I ended up with eggs that were rubbery from over cooking, hard to peel, with a green yolk, or a bit on the raw side.

Then I discovered The Farmstead Egg Cookbook by Terry Golson, and all that changed.

I learned the science behind boiling eggs.  That creepy green yolk?  That comes to a reaction of the iron and sulfur in the egg yolks that occurs at high temperatures.

Boiling a fresh egg makes for a nightmare when it comes time to peel it.  As an egg ages, the membrane around the white begins to separate from the shell, allowing for easier peeling - but the flavor also deteriorates, so the best eggs to hard-cook are between one to two weeks old.

To hard-cook eggs:

1.  Place the eggs in a pot and cover with two inches of water.  Bring water to a simmer.  Don't let the water come to a rolling boil.  As soon as the water is simmering, cover the pot and remove from heat.  Set a timer for 12 minutes for small, 16 minutes for large, and 18 minutes for jumbo eggs.

2.  Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice water.

3.  When the timer goes off, drain the water out of the pot.  Then shake the pot back and forth so that the eggshells crackle all over.  Immediately immerse the eggs in the ice water.  The water will seep under the shells and loosen them from the whites.

4.  When the eggs are cold to the touch, remove them from the water and peel.  Any tiny pieces of shell stuck to the eggs can be rinsed off under the tap.  Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to four days for optimum quality.

Dani Babaneaux Pecan Pie

2 1/2 c. Pecans, chopped  
30 perfect Pecans for top

1 c. packed Darke Brown Sugar  
1 c. light Corn Syrup

1 stick Unsalted Butter  
2 T. Vanilla

1/2 t. Sea Salt  
4 large lightly beaten Eggs

1 Pie crust, edged with leaves, sides covered with egg wash.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Stir together eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until well combined.  Stir in chopped pecans, and pour mixture into prepared pie crust, spreading evenly . Garnish top with whole pecans.

Place dish on a rimmed banking sheet and bake, rotating halfway through, until filling is just set and crust is golden brown, about 90 minutes.  Tent with foil if pecans start getting too dark.  Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely.  

Dani Babaneaux is a firey redhead I worked with 
on  several New Orleans Projects.

She is the Real Deal.

Moon Lake Apple Blackberry Pie

3 lbs. Granny Smith, Jonagold and Honeycrisp Apples
2.5 c. Fresh Blackberries
1/2 c. Baker's Sugar
2 T. Cornstarch
.5 t. Cinnamon
.25 t. Sea Salt
2 T. Cold unsalted Butter, cut in small pieces
1 Large Egg Yolk
1 T. Water
Cinnamon Sugar for decoration
2 Pie Crusts

Preheat over to 400 degrees with rack in low position. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add peeled, cored, .25" thick apple slices and black berries. Toss to coat. Pour into pie crust. Dop butter pats on top.

Mix yolk with water. Brush over edge of piecrust. Cover fruit with second layer of pie crust, leaving holes for venting. If you are using leaves like I did, cover them with egg wash to make them stick, overlapping them slightly. Brush entire surface of pie with egg wash, but don't allow the wash to pool. Sprinkle top with cinnamon sugar. Freeze 30 minutes.

Place on rimmed baking sheet in center of oven. Bake 20 minutes until crust is golden, then lower heat to 350 degrees. Bake 50 minutes, then turn pie. Bake another 50 minute to an hour longer. Transfer to wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing. Service with Vanilla Ice Cream.