Arpege Eggs with Maple Syrup

lizziee · January 3, 2003

Has anyone tried to make Arpege Eggs with Maple Syrup? The recipe is from Patricia Wells' new cookbook and can be found here:

http://www.npr.org/programs/atc/features/2...scook.html#Eggs

jaybee · January 4, 2003

Have you made this, Lizziee? Is it difficult to do? (I mean cutting the egg shell without breaking it)

lizziee · January 4, 2003

jaybee,

That's why I am asking. I haven't made it, but would love to try it out. I have this special egg cutter that I special ordered from a Japanese company. It works beautifully once you get the hang of it.

Just a little while ago, I tried cutting off the top of an egg, dumped it out into an egg separator, let the white run through, and put the egg yolk back into the shell. This method worked fine.

I am wondering if the recipe is true to the classic dish and will turn out as good as the "real" Arpege eggs. What do you think?

stefanyb · January 4, 2003

This is the supreme Atkins recipe!

jaybee · January 4, 2003

I am wondering if the recipe is true to the classic dish and will turn out as good as the "real" Arpege eggs. What do you think?

Sometimes, Her Royal Wellness omits some little trick or thing that is in the orignal recipe. Or maybe the eggs won't be farm fresh. But only someone who ate the "real thing" will know.

Really fresh eggs (as in laid that day) are noticabley better. The yolks are, well, eggier, and the white is like a thin clear liquid, not mucousy. The taste is more pronounced too. Sadly, farm fresh eggs are hard to come by in the big city in winter.

Matt Seeber · January 4, 2003

if i remember correctly, the eggs are removed from the shell and made into a custard base. the custard is poured back into the shell and when the time comes to pickup, it's floated in a pot of simmering water for a few minutes to warm until it's about half cooked (barely coagulated).

it's topped with chive cream (crème fraiche i think?) and the maple syrup - as mentioned.

does passard garnish that with caviar? ........ shaw??

lizziee · January 4, 2003

Matt,

Then, P. Wells recipe has no relationship to the original?

Matt Seeber · January 4, 2003

i think the recipe from PW is pretty much the same as i described - although mine is less detailed.

my post was from memory and i didn't read her recipe until just now...

i did a kitchen trail there in the winter of '97 - great experience.

lizziee · January 4, 2003

Thanks Matt.

What surprised me with the recipe is that there is no custard - just yolks simmered in the shells for 3 minutes and topped with lightly whipped cream with sherry vinegar. It tastes like a custard, but is this all it is?

Edited January 4, 2003 by lizziee (log)

nightscotsman · January 4, 2003

I have this special egg cutter that I special ordered from a Japanese company. It works beautifully once you get the hang of it.

Could I ask what this implement looks like and where you ordered it from? Thanks :smile:

lizziee · January 4, 2003

I ordered my egg cutter from Taiko Enterprises, Corp. 1467 West 178th Street Gardena, Ca.90248 Tel# 310-715-1888 Fax# 310-324-1115. It is pricey - $22.00 a piece plus an international freight charge. When I ordered them, they didn't have any in stock so it was a special order.

It is hard to describe, but it is the only tool that really works.

jaybee · January 4, 2003

What surprised me with the recipe is that there is no custard - just yolks simmered in the shells for 3 minutes and topped with lightly whipped cream with sherry vinegar. It tastes like a custard, but is this all it is?

See, that's just the kind of "little detail" that can make a huge difference that PW might have left out or not been told about. :wink:

lizziee · January 4, 2003

jaybee,

That is exactly what worries me - the little detail. I will try a "dry run" before company just because I would like to know how badly I can mess this one up.

Suvir Saran · January 4, 2003

I ordered my egg cutter from Taiko Enterprises, Corp. 1467 West 178th Street Gardena, Ca.90248 Tel# 310-715-1888 Fax# 310-324-1115. It is pricey - $22.00 a piece plus an international freight charge. When I ordered them, they didn't have any in stock so it was a special order.
It is hard to describe, but it is the only tool that really works.

Lizziee, thanks for starting this thread.

Those eggs remain fresh in my memory ever since I first ate them at Arpege.

I was wondering if you have a digital camera and if it would be possible for you to take a picture of this implement. If at all that can be arranged, I am sure it will be yet another generous treat from you to us eGulleteers. :smile: And if not, I thank you for all this information you have so very kindly shared.

Matt, how did you all cut the eggs? Did the kitchen use a similar tool like the one described by Lizziee? What was your opinion of it if the answer is a yes. Thanks for your input on this thread.

What was the most lasting impression on you from working at Arpege? Would you be comfortable sharing that?

jaybee · January 4, 2003

That is exactly what worries me - the little detail. I will try a "dry run" before company just because I would like to know how badly I can mess this one up.

If I send you my Fedex # will you send me an Arpege Egg? :biggrin:

jaybee · January 4, 2003

or perhaps just the kind of detail that Patricia Wells got right and Matt Seeber botched (more likely).

but egg custard sounds good...

Matt Seeber · January 4, 2003

See, that's just the kind of "little detail" that can make a huge difference that PW might have left out or not been told about.

or perhaps just the kind of detail that Patricia Wells got right and Matt Seeber botched (more likely).

Michael Laiskonis · January 4, 2003

The best egg topper that I've come across. Mine sees daily use and lasts a year or so under such wear...

JB Prince Egg Top Cutter

Suvir Saran · January 4, 2003

The best egg topper that I've come across. Mine sees daily use and lasts a year or so under such wear...
JB Prince Egg Top Cutter

Thanks for the link.

lizziee · January 7, 2003

I made the Arpege eggs and they were fantastic with some minor adjustments.

The recipe calls for carefully pouring out the egg white after the top third of the shell is cut off. Instead, I separated the white from the yolk out of the shell after I cut off the top third and then returned the yolk to the shell.

3 minutes cooking time is too long - more like 2 1/2 minutes for a runny yolk.

I increased the amount of heavy cream to a 1/2 cup and used 3/4 teaspoon of sherry vinegar. The recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of heavy cream which is too little and 3/4 teaspoon of sherry vinegar for that amount of heavy cream is way too acidic.

In any case, this is a great start to a meal.

mlpc - I have the JB Prince egg cutter, but the one from Taiko is way superior. It is worth searching out.

essvee · January 7, 2003

I as well have made the Arpege eggs, not from pw's recipe but from a recipe in Saveur a few years back. My tip is to steam the eggs in a sawed-off bit of egg carton. i tried to float the eggs in boiling water per the recipe and they kept filling up with water. Outstanding stuff and will wow your guests with a minimal effort.

lizziee · January 8, 2003

essvee,

I didn't have any problem with the eggs tipping - I used a small pan that would hold 2" of water and then had the water at a simmer not a full boil.

Is the recipe that same in Saveur as the PW one?

essvee · January 9, 2003

It seems to be, yes. Man, when I did it, the shells kept filling up with water!

woodburner · April 15, 2006

bump

Arpege Eggs with Maple Syrup

Lacking an egg topper, I was able to use a very sharp knife and carefully making a slit in the egg shell and then by using cuticle scissors, the top one third shell was easily removed.

Now as for simmering the open top shells, sans the egg white, how to keep the shells upright in the water bath without tipping.

My solution is to hot glue a small piece of Velcro to the bottom of the shell and then glue another piece of Velcro to a magnet. Using a stainless saucepan, put the magnet with the Velcro attached on the bottom of the pan, and mount the eggshell so the Velcro pieces are secure. Fill pan with simmering water and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes.

Sound about right?

woodburner

When reality and ideology meet, reality will always win out.