Eggs are one of the most versatile cooking ingredients. They cross all national boundaries and are widely used throughout the world. Everybody can learn how to cook eggs using a few elementary methods. Having the basic skills to cook egg recipes like omelettes, boiled eggs and poached eggs will give you a repertoire of uncomplicated, speedy substantial meals.

If you can master the following methods, you are pretty much there:-

1. Boiling an Egg
Hard or soft boiled eggs are nourishing and can make a quick and uncomplicated meal. For some people, a boiled egg with toast soldiers is the supreme comfort food.
To boil a soft-boiled egg to dip toast in, first remove your eggs from the fridge and let them stand for a while to take them up to room temperature. Heat some water in a pan and, when it is just boiling, use a spoon to drop the eggs into the water cautiously. Boil gently for precisely one minute then remove from the heat, set a lid on the pan and let it stand for 6-7 minutes. Not everyone likes their eggs cooked the same, so try adjusting the time until you get it just how you like it.
If cooking hard boiled eggs, gently boil the eggs in the pan, on the heat, for roughly 7 minutes and then quickly take from the water and put into cold water for a short time. Leave eggs to cool in a bowl of ice cold water.
Hard boiled eggs are fantastic for picnics or for mashing with mayonnaise to make egg sandwiches.

2. The Omelette
An omelette is really simple to cook and is wonderful served with a salad or chips.
In a bowl, beat two eggs together and add a little salt and pepper. Add a splash of milk or water. In an small frying pan, melt a knob of margarine or butter and let it coat the base of the pan. Pour the eggs into the pan and move them around so that they cover the base of the pan. Use a spatula to keep bringing in cooked bits from the side to let uncooked liquid run into gaps and cook. As soon as you have a soft but firm circle of omelette you can optionally add grated cheese or 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. Making Poached Eggs
To poach eggs the simple way, you can buy a special poaching pan which has round compartments into which you crack 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 ½ cm deep, place the pan on the cooker 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. Leave 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 healthiest 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, remember that poaching is far better than frying because it only uses water.