Here’s the thing about having an egg regardless of breakfast, lunch or dinner: some people tend to use only the egg white. The reasons? Not everyone loves the taste of egg yolks since they can be gross, disgusting or unappetising for some. Still, don’t just toss away those poor, innocent egg yolks down the kitchen sink. The truth is, there are few egg-cellent ways that you can make use of them. And below are the 8 Things You Can Do With Leftover Egg Yolks.
1) Hollandaise Sauce
When it comes to the food pairing for hollandaise sauce, most people would associate it with none other than the classic egg benedict. But given its rich and buttery taste, hollandaise sauce also goes well with other dishes like asparagus and salmon. So, to make your own homemade hollandaise sauce, here’s what you need:
Ingredients:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup of melted butter (use the unsalted variety)
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
First, melt the butter in a pan on the stovetop or microwave for around a minute. Make sure the butter is hot but not warm. Next, add the ingredients (egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and cayenne pepper) into a blender. Blend for 5 seconds until everything is combined. Then, lower the blender setting and slowly drizzle the hot butter into the egg yolk mixture until they become emulsified. Once done, pour the hollandaise sauce into a bowl and use it right away.
2) Mayonnaise
Sure, it’s pretty convenient to purchase a store-bought jar of mayonnaise from the supermarket. But did you know you can easily make it at home too? And the good news is, you only need 4 simple ingredients to whip up your own homemade mayonnaise.
Ingredients:
- 4 room-temperature egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 400 ml of olive oil
- A pinch of salt & pepper
Combine every ingredient except for the oil in a food processor and blitz until the mixture is combined. Then, while the food processor is still running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the jug until the mixture becomes thick and emulsified. Transfer the mayonnaise to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
3) Lemon Curd
This versatile coagulated liquid can be used on the likes of cakes, puffs, tarts, pancakes and bread. And making lemon curd from scratch doesn’t require rocket science. All you need is just 4 simple ingredients.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup of unsalted butter (chilled)
- 3/4 cup of caster sugar
- 2 freshly-squeezed lemons + zest
Begin by whisking the eggs, yolks and caster sugar in a pan until they become smooth. Then, place the egg mixture into the pan over low heat and start adding the rest (butter, lemon juice and zest). Keep whisking until everything becomes thickened. Remove the pan from heat and strain the lemon curd through a sieve on top of a jar. Refrigerate the curd and use it within a week.
4) Pasta Carbonara
Forget about the store-bought carbonara sauce typically found in a can or a glass jar. Why not try making your own homemade carbonara sauce for a change? It tastes creamier and better, where you can pair the sauce with pasta of your choices such as spaghetti or fettuccine. To make them, here’s what you need:
Ingredients:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 150g of ham or sausages
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil or corn oil
- A clove of garlic
- 40 g of Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 200g of dried pasta
- Black pepper to taste
Boil pasta as usual in a pot of salted water until al dente or follow the package instructions. While you are at it, place the ingredients (egg yolks, grated Parmesan into a bowl and season with black pepper. Mix them well with a fork. Next, saute the garlic in an oil-coated pan and add in the protein of your choice. After the pasta is al dente, drain it (remember to save some pasta water) and transfer them into the pan. Now, add some of the precious pasta water and toss well before pouring in the egg mixture. Toss again, add more pasta water if necessary until everything looks nice and glossy. Serve immediately as it is or top your pasta carbonara with more grated Parmesan.
5) Meatballs
Fancy some homemade meatballs? They are easy to make and this recipe includes egg yolk, the very ingredient that binds the rest of the ingredients together.
Ingredients:
- 400g of minced meat
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 onion
- A clove of garlic
- Fresh/dried herbs of your choice (e.g. basil, oregano and rosemary)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Start by pouring the minced meat from the package into a large bowl. Add finely chopped onion and garlic as well as the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Use your clean hands and knead the minced meat mixture until everything is well-combined. Use an ice-cream scoop to portion them out in even sizes. Roll each of the minced meat between the palms of your hands until they turn into the shape of a little ball. You can cook your homemade meatballs in a pan or baked in the oven.
6) Potato Croquettes
Potato croquettes are best enjoyed as an appetiser or a side dish, where the combination of savoury potato filling and breaded exterior made these comfort-food morsels such a tasty delight.
Ingredients:
- 250g of Russet potato
- 2 egg + egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 150gm of breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 100gm of butter
- 2 cups of vegetable oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Let’s start with the potato by washing it in running tap water. Peel and cut it into chunks. Then, place them in a pan or pot of salted water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once cooked, turn off the heat and strain the water before mashing them using a potato masher.
Next, heat butter in a pan over medium heat and add chopped onion and garlic. Saute them for a minute and turn off the heat. Transfer the mixture to the mashed potatoes and season with salt & pepper. Mix them well and add one egg yolk. Whisk them all together until the mashed potato mixture become fluffy. Let them cool enough before start taking/scooping a small amount of this mixture in your hand. Roll each of them into the shape of a tiny ball.
Using three different bowls, pour the rest of the ingredients (all-purpose flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs) into each of them. Dip every croquette into each of these bowls and place them in a parchment paper-lined baking tray. From here, you can either deep-fry them in a pan or bake the potato croquettes until they become golden brown. Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
7) Peanut Butter Pudding
Bored with the same old peanut butter-and-bread spread? Coupled with egg yolks as one of the ingredients, make use of your peanut butter to create a homemade pudding.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of peanut butter
- 4 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 cups of milk
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 cup of cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
Combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a pan or pot over medium heat. Then, slowly drizzle the milk while keep whisking all the ingredients until everything is well-combined. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it cook and remember to keep whisking the mixture for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients (peanut butter, egg yolks, milk, unsalted butter and vanilla extract) until smooth and creamy. Transfer the pudding to a bowl/glass and wrap a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of it. Refrigerate the pudding for at least an hour. When you are ready to serve the pudding, you can enjoy it on its own or top it with some whipped cream.
8) No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
Here’s another easy-to-make dessert recipe that you can make use of your leftover egg yolks. And best of all, this homemade vanilla ice cream requires no ice cream maker whatsoever!
Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup of whipping or heavy cream
- 1/4 cup of caster sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
Pour the cream in a pan or pot over medium heat. Then, gradually bring the cream to a simmer. Next, use the double-boiling method by placing a heatproof bowl on top of a pan/pot filled with lightly-simmered water. Add in egg yolks and sugar in the bowl and start whisking them until they become light and fluffy. Then, slowly drizzle the simmering cream into the egg yolk-sugar mixture. Time to work out your arm muscle by whisking it vigorously. Once done, simmer the pan/pot over low heat and keep stirring using a wooden spoon. You will notice the mixture becomes thicken into a custard form. To know whether the custard is ready, simply run a simple test by dipping the finger along the back of the spoon. If you see a clear trace, that means it’s good to go!
Finally, strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl and let it cool. Stir occasionally to prevent the skin on the custard from forming. Once the custard is cooled completely, add the vanilla extract before pouring the ice cream into a container. Close the lid and place it in the freezer for approximately 4 hours or so.
To serve, remove the container from the freezer and let the ice cream soften a bit for around 10 minutes. Best enjoyed within 5-7 days.
