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Serve egg dishes promptly. Bacteria proliferate between 40°F and 140°F.

If you have leftover whites or yolks, freeze them separately for up to 1 year. Place the whites in a plastic container, seal it, and label it so you know when it was put in the freezer. Yolks, because of their high protein structure, coagulate when frozen; to prevent this, whisk 1/8 teaspoon salt into 4 large egg yolks before freezing. Thaw the whites or yolks overnight in your refrigerator and use at once following these formulas: 2½ tablespoons thawed egg white equals 1 large egg white; 1½ tablespoons thawed egg yolk equals 1 large egg yolk.

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Two Streamlined Ways to Use Poached Eggs

I. Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise sauce, ham, eggs? What could be better? Nothing—except streamlining the whole thing so that it takes much less time and can be made any weekend morning. If you have concerns about the undercooked eggs in the Streamlined Hollandaise Sauce, seek out pasteurized eggs in their shells, now available at most supermarkets. Makes 6 servings

4 homemade or purchased English muffins, split open

8 slices Canadian bacon

8 large eggs

Streamlined Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows)

Toast the English muffin halves and place them on four individual serving plates; set aside.

Heat the Canadian bacon either by putting the slices in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat until sizzling and lightly browned, or by placing them on a large plate, covering them with a paper towel, and microwaving on high until sizzling, about 2 minutes. Place one piece of Canadian bacon on each English muffin half.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs according to the recipe on section Breakfast and Brunch. It may be easier to divide the eggs, using two saucepans and poaching four in each. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the poached eggs to the plates, setting one on top of each piece of Canadian bacon. Pour the Streamlined Hollandaise Sauce over the eggs and serve at once.

Streamlined Hollandaise Sauce

The sauce can easily be doubled for a larger dish—or pour it over steamed asparagus or broccoli as a side dish for dinner. Makes about ½ cup

3 large egg yolks, preferably from pasteurized eggs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in a blender but do not blend. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium-low heat until the butter foams and then begins to subside. The moment it does, turn the blender on low speed and drizzle in the melted butter in the slightest, smallest stream while the blades are running. Once all the butter’s been added, blend until smooth, about 15 seconds.

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Cast-Iron Cookware: A Natural Nonstick

Cast-iron cookware is an excellent conductor of heat and a marvel of nonstick efficiency. However, its surface is full of tiny holes and gashes, so it must be “seasoned” before use (that is, those gaps must be filled with fat). To do so, coat the pan in vegetable oil, then place it in a preheated 300°F oven for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature, then repeat twice.

Never clean seasoned cast iron with detergent (which gets lodged in the pores) or steel wool (which rubs off the coating). Instead, pour kosher salt into the skillet and use its graininess and a paper towel to rub off any baked-on bits under warm running water. Afterward, sterilize the surface and prevent rust by heating the skillet to smoking over high heat before cooling it back to room temperature. Store cast-iron cookware uncovered so moisture doesn’t build up during humid weather.

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II. Eggs Florentine

For a streamlined version of the classic brunch dish, poached eggs are set on a bed of creamed spinach, topped with a bread crumb mixture, and broiled. Makes 6 servings

3 tablespoons plain dried bread crumbs

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 teaspoons minced oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon