ハフィントンポストの記事などで話題になっている「冷凍卵」。
しかしどうしても信じられなかった。本当に卵なんか冷凍して美味いのか。目玉焼きを作るだけで記事になるなんて、いったいどんだけすごい卵なのか。
試してみた。
卵4個を冷凍庫に入れること4時間。
破裂していた。
さらに凍らせること24時間。
石のようにカチカチになっていた。
ぬるま湯をかけると殻がつるりとむけた。
なんだかタマゴアイスのようだ。あっそれは比喩になってないか。
2個割ってみた。何だか強烈な卵のにおいが漂ってきた。
アツアツご飯にのっければ溶けるのかも知れないと思って食べてみた。
シャリシャリして、味がよく分からない。ちょうど、豆腐を冷凍して食べたときのような感覚だ。
半解凍になった白身を引きはがし、黄身だけ食べてみた。濃厚なアイスクリームのようだった。醬油でなく、砂糖でもかけたらいけたかもしれない。
そうしているうちに小一時間、殻をむいたまま放置していた卵はゆっくりと溶けていた。見た感じは普通の生卵と変わらない。
もう今日は食べる気がしなかったので、ラップして翌朝に回すことにした。
翌朝、黄身を箸で持ち上げてみた。おお、持ち上がる。
食べてみると、白身は水っぽく、生卵よりもさらりとしていなくて質感がある。確かにクリーミーだ。
ただ、せっかちな私は、解凍せずにズルズル勢いよくかきこめる生卵かけご飯の方が好きかもしれない。
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ハフィントンポスト日本版はTwitterでも情報発信しています。@HuffPostJapan をフォロー
関連記事
Eggs For Dinner Recipes
Fried Egg Chilaquiles(01 of20)
When you crave the flavors of Mexico, make this version of chilaquiles in just minutes for dinner. Use store-bought tortilla chips, jarred salsa, cilantro, sour cream and cotija (or feta) cheese to assemble individual chilaquiles. Top each plate with a fried egg to complete the meal.\r\n\r\nGet the Fried Egg Chilaquiles recipe (credit:New Media Publishing)
Bacon And Egg Pasta (Carbonara Style)(02 of20)
A classic Carbonara does not disappoint -- the smoky bacon, the creamy sauce and lots of black pepper. This version uses a bit of white wine and pasta cooking water to create a silken sauce. Don\'t worry if the eggs look like they\'re curdling when you mix them in -- just keep stirring until it\'s all combined. \r\n\r\nGet the Bacon and Egg Pasta (Carbonara Style) recipe (credit:New Media Publishing)
Moroccan Baked Eggs With Red Peppers And Spinach(03 of20)
The combination of sauteed spinach, roasted red peppers, goat cheese and spicy harissa makes this baked eggs dish the perfect choice for a quick and flavorful supper. Be sure to bake just until the egg whites are set -- this way the yolks will remain runny.\r\n\r\nGet the Moroccan Baked Eggs with Red Peppers and Spinach recipe (credit:Frances Janisch)
Baked Rice With An Egg Crust(04 of20)
This meat and rice dish is hearty and filling -- it\'s packed with spare ribs, sausages and chicken drumsticks. The recipe starts with the searing of all the meat, which gets placed on top of rice to cook in the oven like a paella. The casserole then gets topped with beaten eggs, which forms a delicious crust.\r\n\r\nGet the Baked Rice with an Egg Crust recipe (credit:Jason Lowe)
Grilled Escarole And Fried Egg On Grilled Bread(05 of20)
You\'ll be surprised at how wonderful escarole tastes when it\'s grilled instead of just eating it raw in a salad. For this recipe, the escarole serves as a topping for grilled bread. A fried egg completes this quick and satisfying meal.\r\n\r\nGet the Grilled Escarole and Fried Egg on Grilled Bread recipe (credit:New Media Publishing)
Baked Eggs In Mushroom Gravy(06 of20)
This meal has all the meaty flavor without the meat, making it ideal for a vegetarian dinner. The secret is soy sauce and sherry, both of which add savory flavor to the mushrooms. After the mushrooms have cooked in the skillet, crack four eggs on top and bake until just set.\r\n\r\nGet the Baked Eggs in Mushroom Gravy recipe (credit:New Media Publishing)
Spanish Tortilla(07 of20)
A Spanish tortilla is not actually a flour or corn tortilla, but an omelette, typically made of potatoes. This recipe adds baby spinach to the mix for an extra nutritious kick. Serve with a side salad for a healthy dinner.\r\n\r\nGet the Spanish Tortilla recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Crispy Tortilla With Ham, Chili, Spinach, And Fried Eggs (08 of20)
These crispy tortillas make a simple supper especially when you\'re craving the flavors of breakfast food. Each tortilla is topped with sauteed spinach, sliced ham, a fried egg, and a bit of cheese, which melts under the broiler. A dash or two of hot sauce adds a nice zing.\r\n\r\nGet the Crispy Tortilla with Ham, Chili, Spinach, and Fried Eggs recipe (credit:Ray Kachatorian)
Cauliflower, Chevre And Onion Quiche(09 of20)
The combination of cauliflower, onions, gruyere and goat cheese make this quiche extremely flavorful. In this recipe both the crust and the filling are flavored with fresh herbs. Feel free to vary the vegetables in the filling -- even leftover vegetables are fine.\r\n\r\nGet the Cauliflower, Chevre and Onion Quiche recipe (credit:Ben Fink)
North African Vegetable Stew With Poached Eggs(10 of20)
This hearty vegetable stew is accented with Tunisian flavor from spices like coriander and caraway. Put it together quickly using frozen vegetables, canned tomatoes and chickpeas. Poach the eggs in the stew itself for a protein-packed meal.\r\n\r\nGet the North African Vegetable Stew with Poached Eggs recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Italian Egg Drop Soup-(11 of20)
Italian egg-drop soup, stracciatella, is typically a light brothy soup with eggs swirled in. But this recipe adds a bit more to turn it into a nutritious meal -- the recipe features herbs, pasta, chickpeas and arugula. Top the soup with grated parmesan when serving.\r\n\r\nGet the Italian Egg-Drop Soup recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Eggs Baked In Roasted Tomato Sauce(12 of20)
To make this dish, start by roasting tomatoes in the oven to create a sweet sauce, which will become the base for this recipe. After pureeing the tomatoes, strain the sauce into four ovenproof dishes. Nestle two cracked eggs into each, top with cheese and bake. Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the sauce and you\'ve got a very satisfying meal.\r\n\r\nGet the Eggs Baked in Roasted Tomato Sauce recipe (credit:Quentin Bacon/Food & Wine)
Caesar Salad With Poached Eggs, Crispy Prosciutto, And Parmesan Wafer(13 of20)
A plain and simple Caesar salad is a great dish in itself, but when you add a poached egg, crispy prosciutto and parmesan wafers, you\'ve turned it into a highly desirable meal. And it\'s so easy to create the parmesan wafers and crispy prosciutto in the oven as fancy as it sounds.\r\n\r\nGet the Caesar Salad with Poached Eggs, Crispy Prosciutto, and Parmesan Wafer recipe (credit:Ray Kachatorian)
Ham And Egg Salad(14 of20)
Broiled ham steaks are the base for this hearty supper salad, which includes soft-boiled eggs. The salad is packed with flavor from basil leaves and a lemon-garlic dressing. Feel free to vary the recipe -- try poached eggs in place of boiled and chorizo in place of ham.\r\n\r\nGet the Ham and Egg Salad recipe (credit:Taste)
Broccoli And Goat Cheese Souffle(15 of20)
Souffles aren\'t as difficult to make as it may seem -- just don\'t open the oven door while they\'re baking. This creamy souffle includes tangy goat cheese and tender steamed broccoli. Serve with a side salad for dinner and you\'ll surely impress your family. \r\n\r\nGet the Broccoli and Goat Cheese Souffle recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata(16 of20)
A frittata makes a quick an easy dinner whenever you don\'t feel like making something complicated. This recipes is great for using leftover pasta. Crispy bacon, parmesan cheese and lots of pepper flavor the dish like a classic carbonara.\r\n\r\nGet the Spaghetti Carbonara Frittata recipe (credit:New Media Publishing)
Pork Cutlets With Braised Cabbage, Fried Eggs, And A Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce(17 of20)
Cabbage and pork are a classic pairing that\'s very satisfying for dinner. In this recipe, fried pork cutlets are served with braised cabbage, which turns meltingly soft and sweet. The dish gets topped with a fried egg and a tangy, briny lemon-caper sauce.\r\n\r\nGet the Pork Cutlets with Braised Cabbage, Fried Eggs, and a Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce recipe (credit:Ray Kachatorian)
Bacon, Egg And Asparagus Pizza(18 of20)
This spring pizza recipe doesn\'t need a tomato sauce to create a delicious pizza -- beaten eggs do the trick of creating a creamy sauce. Grated extra-sharp cheddar sprinkled over top adds a stronger flavor than the more typical parmesan cheese.\r\n\r\nGet the Bacon, Egg and Asparagus Pizza recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Pancetta And Greens Frittata(19 of20)
Hearty greens, sweet leeks and salty pancetta add so much flavor to this simple frittata recipe. Feel free to use the greens of your choice, such as kale, mustard greens or radicchio. Serve with a side salad for a light dinner.\r\n\r\nGet the Pancetta and Greens Frittata recipe (credit:EatingWell)
Roasted Ratatouille With Eggs And Cheese(20 of20)
Roasting is an easy technique for making ratatouille instead of cooking each of the vegetables on the stove-top. Once the vegetable are roasted, make indentations for the eggs, sprinkle with cheese and bake until melted. Serve with bread to soak up all the luscious juices.\r\n\r\nGet the Roasted Ratatouille with Eggs and Cheese recipe (credit:EatingWell)