In the 1950s and 60s, the Egg Marketing Board urged the nation to “Go to work on an egg”. As comedian Tony Hancock and actor Patricia Hayes argued over the morning crossword – “A four letter word, beginning with E, and ending in S, a valuable food rich in protein” – the TV adverts became etched into the national psyche. Now, more than 70 years on, eggs are still seen as a food best cracked out at breakfast time.
Of course, there’s no denying that eggs make for a delicious start to the day. But limiting yourself to only enjoying them in the morning feels like a crying shame when they’re perhaps the most versatile ingredient in your kitchen cupboards (or fridge – although that’s a debate for another time).
In fact, the only rules when it comes to eggs are that they should be fresh, free-range and preferably golden-yolked – to make every dish look as richly delicious as it tastes. Choosing a brand such as Freshlay Farms, whose Golden Yolkers fully live up to their name, and have been awarded a coveted Great Taste 2024, is a great place to start. As for where you go from there – here are some suggestions …
Breakfast
While a boiled egg with toast soldiers remains an iconic way to start the day, there are myriad ways to make eggs the star of your morning meal. As well as being central to a host of breakfast dishes, from the classic Full English to more elaborate servings such eggs benedict and kedgeree, it’s also worth taking a dash of inspiration from repasts elsewhere.
Migas is popular in Spain, Portugal and Mexico. If you’re going for the Iberian version, it’s essentially a pile of crispy fried breadcrumbs topped with fried eggs and just about anything else hearty to hand, such as chorizo. Or, if you’re in the mood for Mexican, think tortilla chips loaded with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo and melted cheese. A Spanish omelette made with onions, thinly sliced potatoes and plenty of good, grassy extra-virgin olive oil is a great get-ahead, grab-and-go breakfast. Or, if you prefer a sweeter start, you can use your eggs to make fluffy American-style pancakes or cinnamon-dusted french toast.
Lunch
Whether you work from home or pack your lunch, eggs can happily feature in your midday meal, too. Their protein-packed punch (a medium-sized egg contains about 6.4g) will help keep you going through the inevitable post-lunch slump.
Egg mayo sandwiches, homemade scotch eggs and wraps filled with scrambled eggs or tortilla are lunchbox staples that are quick and easy to make in advance. But why stick to the basics? Try some head-turning lunches that you might not have considered before, such as hearty slices of quiche, a slice of sausage and egg pie encased in gleaming, egg-glazed pastry, or a Japanese egg sando, featuring milk bread, crusts removed, stuffed with both egg mayonnaise and halved hard-boiled eggs. Now that’s what we call a filling!
Dinner
Of course, eggs can also form the basis of a hearty dinner – and while they’ve got many specialised uses for your evening meal, I’m growing increasingly fond of having breakfast dishes for dinner (although calling it “brinner” might be a step too far). Breakfast is one of the best meals of the day, so enjoying it twice makes sense; especially as we tend to have a bit more time in the evening to enjoy it at our leisure.
You can make more of a meal of your favourite breakfast fare by adding a few flashy extras: elevate scrambled eggs by dolloping them on sweetcorn fritters served with sliced avocado and a dash of hot sauce and sour cream, add merguez sausages to a shakshuka, or make french toast bacon sandwiches (with a drizzle of syrup if you dare).
Those who prefer to keep breakfast and dinner on nodding terms only are also spoilt for choice. A crispy fried egg with an oozy yolk is a deliciously luxurious flourish atop a bowl of stir-fried noodles, while a frittata – the omelette’s Italian cousin – is a dinnertime triple threat: speedy, healthy and a great way of using up pretty much any odd or end you can forage from the back of the fridge. And don’t forget a silky carbonara; made with golden egg yolks – let’s be real here, Freshlay Farms’ Golden Yolkers are going to be perfect for this – crispy guanciale and a snowfall of salty pecorino. Serve it up with a whisky or pisco sour and your egg whites won’t go to waste, either.
Dessert
Finally, we need to take a moment to celebrate the way eggs are the unsung heroes of all your favourite desserts. Whether your go-to sweet treat is a slice orange polenta cake, a rich, custard-laden trifle, a gently wobbling creme caramel or a crisp and even pavlova – the humble egg is the secret ingredient binding the rest together.
In short, when you bring eggs to the table beyond breakfast, you’ll discover, to paraphrase Patricia Hayes, that happiness really is egg-shaped.
Find out more about Freshlay Farms and why its Golden Yolkers have clinched a Great Taste Award 2024
