Obs.—We would recommend that the whites of swans’ eggs, which as we have said are extremely beautiful, should be filled with the above preparation in preference to their own yolks: they will of course, require longer baking.
TO BOIL A SWAN’S EGG HARD.
Swans’ eggs are much more delicate than from their size, and from the tendency of the birds to feed on fish might be supposed; and when boiled hard and shelled, their appearance is beautiful, the white being of remarkable purity and transparency. Take as much water as will cover the egg (or eggs) well in every part, let it boil quickly, then take it from the fire, and as soon as the water ceases to move put in the egg, and leave it by the side of the fire—without allowing it to boil—for twenty minutes, and turn it gently once or twice in the time; then put on the cover of the stewpan and boil it gently for a quarter of an hour; take it quite from the fire, and in five minutes put it into a basin and throw a cloth, once or twice folded, over it, and let it cool slowly. It will retain the heat for a very long time, and as it should be quite cold before it is cut, it should be boiled early if wanted to serve the same day. Halve it evenly with a sharp knife lengthwise, take out the yolk with care, and prepare it for table, either by the receipt which follows, or by that for forced eggs, Chapter [VI.]
SWAN’S EGG, EN SALADE.
We found that the yolk of the egg, when boiled as above, could be rendered perfectly smooth and cream-like, by mashing it on a dish[[156]] with a broad-bladed knife, and working it well with the other ingredients: the whole was easily blended into a mass of uniform colour, in which not the smallest lump of butter or egg was perceptible. Mix it intimately with an ounce or two of firm fresh butter, a rather high seasoning of cayenne, some salt, or a teaspoonful or two of essence of anchovies, and about as much of chili vinegar or lemon-juice. To these minced herbs or eschalots can be added at pleasure. Fill the whites with the mixture, and serve them in a bowl two-thirds filled with salad, sauced as usual; or use them merely as a decoration for a lobster or German salad.
[156]. We chanced, when we received our first present of swan’s eggs, to be in a house where there was no mortar—a common deficiency in English culinary departments.
TO POACH EGGS.
Take for this purpose a wide and delicately clean pan about half-filled with the clearest spring-water; throw in a small saltspoonful of salt, and place it over a fire quite free from smoke. Break some new laid eggs into separate cups, and do this with care, that the yolks may not be injured. When the water boils, draw back the pan, glide the eggs gently into it, and let them stand until the whites appear almost set, which will be in about a minute: then, without shaking them, move the pan over the fire, and just simmer them from two minutes and a half to three minutes. Lift them out separately with a slice, trim quickly off the ragged edges, and serve them upon dressed spinach, or upon minced veal, turkey, or chicken; or dish them for an invalid, upon delicately toasted bread, sliced thick, and freed from crust: it is an improvement to have the bread buttered, but it is then less wholesome.
Comparative time of poaching eggs. Swans’ eggs, 5 to 6 minutes, (in basin, 10 minutes.) Turkeys’ eggs 4 minutes. Hens’ eggs, 3 to 3-1/2 minutes. Guinea-fowls’, 2 to 3 minutes. Bantams’, 2 minutes.
Obs.—All eggs may be poached without boiling if kept just at simmering point, but one boil quite at last will assist to detach them from the stewpan, from which they should always be very carefully lifted on what is called a fish or egg-slice. There are pans made on purpose for poaching and frying them in good form; but they do not, we believe, answer particularly well. If broken into cups slightly rubbed with butter, and simmered in them, their roundness of shape will be best preserved.