Ingredient encyclopedia
The Pantry
Enter an ingredient to explore its anatomy, nutrition and what you can cook with it. Each entry includes storage advice, preparation notes, flavour profile and illustrated anatomy where available.
4 results for “Eggs”
ClearGreek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that has been strained through muslin or a fine-mesh strainer to remove most of the liquid whey, concentrating the protein, fat and flavour. The result is thicker, tangier and higher in protein than unstrained yogurt, and significantly more stable under heat — it can be incorporated into warm sauces and marinades without the rapid curdling that affects thinner yogurts. Its acidity (pH ~4.5) makes it an effective marinade component, denaturing surface proteins in meat.
Hen's Egg
The egg is the most nutritionally complete and culinarily versatile ingredient in the kitchen. A single egg contains all the amino acids necessary for life, significant fat-soluble vitamins (D, A, K, E), choline for neural function, and the lecithin in the yolk that makes it the foundation of emulsified sauces from mayonnaise to hollandaise. The white and yolk behave as entirely different ingredients — the white sets at 62–65°C, the yolk at 65–70°C — which is the basis of soft-boiled, poached and slow-cooked eggs.
Illustrated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Parmigiano-Reggiano is one of the most umami-rich foods on earth. After 24 months of ageing, the proteins in the cheese have broken down into free amino acids — most significantly glutamic acid (the same compound responsible for umami in mushrooms, anchovies and soy sauce) — to a concentration of approximately 1.2g per 100g. The DOP designation protects the original production method, the specific geography (Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena), and the breed of cattle. 'Parmesan' is a generic term; Parmigiano-Reggiano is the original.
Unsalted Butter
Butter is a water-in-fat emulsion: approximately 80% milkfat, 16–17% water, and 2–3% milk proteins and sugars. It is not simply a cooking fat — it is an emulsifier (the milk proteins and lecithin in the aqueous phase stabilise the fat), a flavour carrier (fat-soluble aroma compounds dissolve readily into butter), and a browning agent. Noisette butter — cooked until the milk solids brown — is one of the most rewarding transformations in the kitchen.