Taste Panel - Slow Food Edinburgh

3 September 2008

 

Eggs

 

Products tasted:

The panel tasted three different Scottish producers'/supplier hen eggs—all were organically reared and free range. 

 

Producers:

Phantassie East Linton EH40 3DF Tel:  01620 860285 eggs@phantassie.co.uk

Somerfield Unspecified Scottish Farm Somerfield Stores Ltd PO Box 708 Bristol BS99 1GA www.somerfield.co.uk

Brewsters Ltd 241 High Street Newburgh Fife KY14 6DY Tel:  01337 840248

How was it used?

An egg from each of the producers/supplier was poached for direct comparison; then the Brewster eggs were scrambled, Phantassie eggs cooked in an omelette and finally the Somerfield eggs were prepared in a traditional Spanish dish called Huevos en Lamparilla (see below for recipe.)

 

What does it taste like?

Phantassie Eggs:  Yolk had a delicate taste and texture; whites were mild but flavoursome.  Both the poached version and omelette provided an earthy, but delicate egg flavour.

Somerfield Eggs:  Very similar to Phantassie Eggs – the panel agreed that there was very little noticeable difference between the two.  They were very good in the Spanish dish Huevos en Lamparilla (recipe kindly provided by Felix and his Granny; see below).

Brewsters Eggs:   Yolk was richer and brighter and thus had a more flavoursome body.  The whites also had a firm body, indicating higher degree of freshness.  Were delicious scrambled.  Panel agreed that due to the intensity and size of yolk in comparison to other eggs, they would be best used in baking and in dishes where the yolks provide considerable flavour, such as in pastry creams, crème brulee, hollandaise, mayonnaise, etc.

Why does Brewsters taste different?

Brewsters use older more trditional breeds which are generally more athletic and fitter than the hybrid hens.  It is self evident that stronger more muscular birds lay a better egg.  It is the case that modern birds have been developed as "laying machines" which can produce 320 or more eggs per year where as our birds produce approximately 30% less eggs.  We aim to deliver quality not quantity.  More food and energy goes into each of our eggs and our birds concentrate on producing 4 eggs per week as opposed to 7.  The result is that the egg has a better flavour with a denser texture and noticeably thicker harder shell. 

Reared on Jamesfield farm on the perthshire /fife border all our hens are kept in mobile hen houses (150per house) from which they range throughout the day on green pasture.  They have a natural, vegetarian, organic and cereal diet.

 

Cost?

Phantassie:  £1.69 for six.

Somerfield:  £2.00 for six.

Brewsters:  £1.80 for six / £2.00 for six rare breed.

 

Where can I buy it?

Phantassie:  Valvona & Crolla at 3 Elm St, Edinburgh.  Haddington's farmer market last Sat of month (outside Corn Exchange on Court Street, 9a-1p) and Edinburgh's farmers market the second and last Sat of each month (Castle Terrace, 9a-2p).

Somerfield:  Self explanatory.

Brewsters:  Henderson's Shop at 92 Hanover Street, Edinburgh EH2 1DR, Mel-Bell's Ltd Organic Market at 13 Randolph Pl, EH3 7TA, Edinburgh farmers market second, fourth, fifth Sat of month, Dumfermline farmers market second Sat of month (Glen Gates, 9a-1p).

 

Recipe:  Huevos en Lamparilla

Many thanks to Felix and his Granny for providing this delicious recipe.

Serves 4.

This is a very simple egg supper that should not take more than 10 minutes to cook from start to finish. Healthy fast food the Andalusian way. The name means "eggs in a oil-lamp", as the dish resembles an old oil lamp with the little candle burning in the centre.  Perfect for those rainy evenings when you cannot be bothered, the flavours of the peppery olive oil, the acidic lemon, and the herby parsley bringing the eggs to life; just make sure you have plenty of nice bread to mop up the sauce.

Ingredients:
4 large eggs
4 tbsp good olive oil
4 plump cloves of garlic
2 tsp plain flour
250 ml vegetable stock (or a stock cube)
Chopped parsley
1 lemon
Salt
Pepper

Preparation:
Finely chop the garlic and gently poach in the olive oil, not allowing to brown. When the garlic is cooked, add the flour and fry for about 15-20 seconds while stirring, then add the vegetable stock, or the stock cube and some hot water. Keep stirring the sauce while it simmers for about 5 minutes, adding more stock if necessary, then crack the eggs and poach them in the sauce. Season and sprinkle with some chopped parsley. To serve, spoon the eggs on a plate with some of the sauce, squeezing some lemon on them.

Variations:
To make this light supper dish a more robust meal, you may like to add some thin green asparagus or chard stalks and cook them in the sauce before poaching the eggs, or maybe some samphire for a sea-foodie taste.