Year of the EGG

Someone asked me in an interview recently, to name my favourite food ‘product’ and my answer was that it’s more about ‘produce’ for me.

But the question got me thinking. Although I didn’t name the egg as my favourite, I later realised that the egg was certainly the ‘hero’ in many of my favourite dishes for 2009.

The year started for me in Paris. There, I enjoyed many great eating experiences, but the pinnacle of that holiday was at the acclaimed, Alain Passard restaurant L’Arpege. On that visit, I chose the seasonal degustation ‘Arpege de truffe’, however my first taste of the evening, was not of the truffle, but of an egg. Oeuf a la coque was a perfectly coddled egg, in its shell, topped with lightly beaten cream, quatre epices and topped with maple syrup. The maitre de Helene Cousin, recommended dipping the spoon to the bottom of the shell, through the layers, to take in all the flavours in one mouthful.

Later in the year, and back in Sydney, I was delighted to be given a very special present. Showcasing Sydney food to international friends, Luke Mangan surprised us, by sending out a similar dish at glass restaurant. The egg was perfectly coddled, the maple syrup cream was lightly whipped together, and the treat was topped with baubles of Australian salmon roe and a glimmer of gold leaf. The dish was heavenly.

One of the highlight’s of the Sydney International Food Festival was the Bilson’s Hats Off dinner: Future food, future wine. Here I was entranced with Organic Hens Eggs cooked at 65C with Asparagus Coulis and Tasmanian Truffle. This version of my favourite coddled egg, lay on a bed of miniature crisp croutons, and was served with fine green asparagus tips, companions of a light and airy green asparagus coulis and an even lighter white asparagus foam. Did I mentioned truffles also featured in this dish? Definitely the grown-up version of dipping my toast soldiers in my egg.

There were many other egg treats during the year, some in the form of savoury custards. The most tantalising of these was a dish by Mark Best: Sea Urchin Custard with Mandarin & Green Tea, Prawn Cracker (from the Ben Shewry @ Marques dinner). The sea urchin flavour in this incredible custard, intensified towards the bottom of the serving glass. Right at the top, the tangy mandarin dominated. This dish was enjoyed both by savouring each individual component, and also, by using the (recommended L’Arpege) technique, of digging through the layers to fuse the flavours for one mouthful.

My weeknight meal of choice at Chat Thai, was also a savoury egg custard Kai Dtun (a home recipe) served with ground chicken, slivers of salted duck egg yolk, coriander and spring onions.

I even finished the year with an egg, salade compose, in a light supper at home, as my last meal of 2009.

Thoughout of all these mouthwatering treats and more, my favourite eggs of 2009, have to be the ones pictured in the carton. These were the freshest eggs I’d eaten for many years, collected (straight from the restaurant’s hen house) with Stefano Manfredi after lunching at Bells at Killcare. The freshest eggs not only hold their form, making them easier with which to work, but the flavour is also incredible. Stefano calls the layers his girls! And thanks to his ‘happy’ free range hens, I relished home cooked eggs for all the rest of that week …