Eggs are unversally acclaimed as one of most useful cooking ingredients. They are easy to get hold of wherever you live and are common in most regional styles of cooking. Even the worst cook can learn to prepare eggs using a few simple techniques. Possessing the elemtary skills to make egg recipes like omelettes, scrambled eggs, boiled eggs and poached eggs will give you a repertoire of uncomplicated, quick healthy dishes.

So lets get moving, here are a few classic techniques:-

1. How to Boil an Egg

Hard or soft boiled eggs are nourishing and can make a fast and simple meal. For many people, a soft boiled egg with toast soldiers is the supreme comfort food.

To soft boil and egg to dip toast in, first take your eggs out of the fridge and allow them to sit for a while to get them up to room temperature. Heat some water in a small pan and, when it is simmering, use a spoon to drop the eggs into the pan cautiously. Boil gently for precisely one minute then take them off the heat, place a lid on the pan and stand for 6-7 minutes. Some people like their eggs more runny than others, so experiment with the timing to get the results you prefer.

For hard boiled eggs, gently boil the eggs in the pan, on the heat, for around 7 minutes and then instantly take from the pan and immerse in cold water for a couple of minutes. Leave eggs to cool in a bowl of ice cold water.

Hard boiled eggs are wonderful for picnics or for mixing with mayonnaise to make egg sandwiches.

2. How to Make an Omelette

An omelette is very simple to make and is fantastic served with a salad or chips.

Beat two eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add a teaspoon of milk or water. In an small frying pan, melt a knob of butter or margarine and let it coat the base of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan and swirl around so that they cover the the pan evenly. Keep bringing the cooked bits from the side of the pan into the middle to let less cooked eggs run into gaps and cook evenly. Once you have a soft but firm evenly cooked omelette you may also add grated cheese or chopped and cooked mushrooms to the center and fold the omelette over the filling to make a crescent shape.

3. Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs on toast is delicious and is a good standby when you're in a rush or are too tired to cook much. If you have got a microwave, then these are really easy ? simply beat 2-3 eggs together, season, add a tiny dash of milk and cook on high. Stir with a fork every ten seconds and stop cooking when they are at the perfect consistency for you.

You can also scrambled eggs in a pan ? Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan, beat the eggs in a bowl or jug, season and add a dash of milk. Once the butter is melted, pour the eggs into the pan and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook until the egg mixture only has a bit of liquid left. Stir in a little butter and add cream if you want ? delicious.

For a special breakfast, chop up smoked salmon and mix into the scrambled egg.

4. Cooking Poached Eggs

To poach eggs the easy way, you can buy a specific poaching pan which has round compartments into which you break your eggs and then they cook over the pan which is filled with boiling water.

To poach eggs without a poacher, pour boiling water into a frying pan until it is about 2 ? cm deep, place the pan on the heat and, when the water is bubbling gently (little bubbles under the surface), crack an egg into the water. Simmer for 1 minute and then take from the heat. Stand for 10 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve on toast or with bacon, sausage and baked beans.

These are the four classic, fastest and most nourishing ways to prepare eggs but you can also fry an egg in oil. Simply heat oil in a frying pan, crack an egg gently into the pan (gently, so you don't break the yolk) and fry until done. Even though you may prefer frying eggs, try to remember that poaching is much better than frying because it only uses water.