I realise that I haven't written anything on The Greasy Spoon for some time. Apologies- my trusty mac needed urgent repair and, darn it, that took over a week.
Anyway, I'm back now with a post about the perfect fried egg. I saw Gary Rhodes talking about this on televison a few days ago. Gary Rhodes is one of the few television chefs I admire: his technique is, of course, top notch, and I like the way (apart from a dubious appearance on that dancing programme) he hasn't sold out to the celeb culture, in the manner of Blanc, Ramsay et al.
In a hot non-stick pan, melt a knob of unsalted butter. Crack the eggs onto a plate, and then slide them carefully into the hot butter. If you egg is fresh, the egg white will stay firm. If your egg is stale, the white will become watery, and spread out all over the place. Ideally, your eggs will be fresh. Season them with salt and pepper and cook them gently on a low heat, letting the egg white bubble up around the yolk. Baste the eggs with the hot butter.
That's it. I like my egg yolk to be runny- though of course, as ever, it's all a matter of personal taste, isn't it?
