Egg on your face. Egging him on. He's a good egg. She was so mad she could have laid an egg.

	Andy Starnes, Post-Gazette photos Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Strata can be assembled ahead of time. Click photo for larger image.

The egg, from the moment we begin life, takes a central role in our language, our culture, our very existence -- and until recently, our cuisine. A potent source of protein that's easy and inexpensive to obtain, the egg has been a dietary staple since humans began keeping chickens 5,000 years ago.

The incredible edible egg, however, had a great fall in the 1970s and 1980s, when worries about its cholesterol content prompted many people to take it off their weekly grocery list. In the years that followed, the once-proud egg sadly skulked along in the shadow of public scorn, purchased in skimpy half-dozens, its rich golden yolk purged from egg noodles and omelettes, indulged in by many people only as an occasional guilty pleasure with a single slice of dry wheat toast.

But now, the egg's popularity is experiencing a rebirth.

Research has found that while eggs contain relatively high amounts of cholesterol, there is no direct link between the amount of cholesterol in a particular food and the level of cholesterol in the bloodstream of the person who eats that food, according to a new book by Marie Simmons, "The Good Egg" (a James Beard and Julia Child award-winner that contains just about everything you'd ever want to know about selecting, handling and cooking eggs). Instead, blood cholesterol levels are affected by the amount of fats, in particular saturated fats, in food -- and one egg has less than 2 grams of saturated fat compared to 5 grams in a cup of whole milk and 7 grams in a tablespoon of butter.

Many studies, Ms. Simmons writes, have found that healthy people who are not genetically predisposed to heart disease can eat eggs in moderate amounts -- even as many as one or two a day -- without increased risk to their health. As a result, many people are rediscovering the allure of the egg but have never learned what to do with one beyond scrambling, boiling or frying it.

Popovers taste great with butter and raspberry jam. Click photo for larger image.

That makes springtime -- season of fertility and new birth, Easter eggs and Easter brunches -- the perfect time to come full culinary circle to the O-so-glorious egg.

Eggs are versatile and, in their raw state, fairly forgiving. Many delicious casseroles can be made in advance from basic, inexpensive ingredients -- eggs, milk, bread, cheese, onions, herbs and some odds and ends of vegetables. And some of those dishes remain conciliatory enough to endure a few minutes more or less in the oven or on the stovetop.

Often, however, the easily wounded egg needs a little extra coddling to retain its proper composure.

Leaving a soft-boiled egg in hot water for an extra minute or so will transform it into a hard-boiled one and will turn a moist and sunny hard-boiled yolk into a chalky greenish one. Boiling instead of simmering the water beneath your would-be cr?me anglaise will turn the sweet, creamy sauce into vanilla-flavored scrambled eggs. And opening your oven door too soon can immediately deflate your hopes for an ethereal souffle or puffy popovers.

With a little tender loving care, however, egg dishes can provide a firm foundation for the perfect Easter brunch, Mother's Day breakfast in bed or relaxing weekend treat. Besides the egg dishes I road-tested for fancy but easy-to-prepare Easter brunch dishes for a group -- Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Watercress Roulade along with a Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Strata and homemade Popovers -- try a few poached eggs over polenta with sauteed bacon, onions, bell pepper and a dusting of parmesan cheese.

Or Huevos Rancheros, made by placing a tortilla in a skillet and topping it with black beans, eggs and ranchero sauce or salsa, with a thick sprinkling of cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, then covering and cooking everything until the egg whites are set and yolks are still liquid but slightly thickened.

	For a special Easter brunch for a crowd, try a pretty, delicious Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Watercress Roulade with Popovers. Click photo for larger image.

Or Eggs en Cocotte, in which you drop an egg into a buttered ramekin with a tablespoon of heavy cream, a small pinch of grated lemon zest and a teaspoon of butter. (You also can add herbs, roasted red pepper, anchovies, grated cheese or other little tidbits you think might taste good with an egg.) Place the ramekins in a baking pan, add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides and bake until the whites are set and yolks are thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes, then season with salt and pepper before serving. They are scrumptious.

Eggs have begun to shrug off their yoke of stigma. But as with most foods, there are good eggs, and not-so-good eggs.

The least expensive eggs tend to be those from the least healthy hens, those kept in factory hatcheries where they spend their lives in cages so small they can't turn around -- but can reach the chicken next to them well enough to peck and bloody it, opening the way for infection. Respiratory diseases quickly pass between the birds as well.

In an attempt to prevent and combat disease in these crowded conditions, these hens are routinely fed grain -- sometimes containing blood or fish meal with its own potential contaminants -- laced with antibiotics that end up in their eggs, and in our bodies. There, the antibiotics can linger at a low level, making us resistant to human antibiotics when we really need them and encouraging particularly strong strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to thrive.

For another $1.50 a dozen or so, however, you can buy eggs from much healthier hens. There are organic eggs from hens fed with grain that has not been treated with fungicides, pesticides, herbicides, commercial fertilizers or antibiotics. If you don't like the idea of meat-eating hens, there also are vegetarian eggs produced by hens fed only vegetable-based food. Some of these types of eggs are also nutrient-enhanced, with the hens having eaten a diet with less saturated fat and more omega-3 fatty acids, which protect heart health.

The very best eggs -- which also tend to be the priciest -- come from pastured hens. These hens have been allowed to run around in the grass, scratching for insects and breathing clean air, before they go back to the roost at night (at some small farms, to a traveling roost that's periodically wheeled to a different part of the pasture, giving the hens fresh "grazing" and allowing their manure to fertilize the field gradually).

Because they are not crammed side by side in a factory hatchery, the birds are less susceptible to disease and usually are not given antibiotics unless they are ill. They produce the kind of eggs your parents and grandparents and great-grandparents ate, after slipping a hand softly under the feathery breast to smuggle out an egg, still warm from the nest. Because the hens have eaten a good diet and gotten proper exercise, and because the eggs were laid just a few days before you buy them, the yolks are deep golden-yellow and taste more deliciously "eggy" than commercial ones.

And I'd say now that you're finally allowed to eat eggs without feeling guilty, springing for a sunlit, grass-fed, antibiotic-free, eggy-tasting egg just might be worth a few extra pennies.

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MUSHROOM, SPINACH AND CHEESE STRATA

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This layered egg dish (hence "strata") is great for gatherings because it can be assembled in advance and left to soak in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, just pop it in the oven for an hour, and it's ready to eat.

While I used a mix of shiitake, baby portobello and oyster mushrooms, you can make the filling out of almost anything that sounds tasty to you: 1 cup of any kind of mild grated cheese such as mozzarella, fontina, Gruyere or Monterey Jack used to top 1 to 2 cups of flavorful vegetables such as sauteed mushrooms, onions, garlic, red bell peppers, broccoli or spinach and/or meat such as crumbled cooked sausage, bacon or minced ham. Herbs and freshly ground pepper are good things to add as well.

This casserole will melt in your mouth.

• 10-ounce bag fresh spinach, rinsed and trimmed, or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  
• 8 ounces mixed mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitakes, black trumpets, pleurottes, creminis, portobellos and/or white buttons)
  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
  
• 5 large eggs
  
• 2 1/2 cups milk
  
• 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
  
• 6-8 thick (1/2-inch) slices firm sandwich bread, preferably 1 day old (regular white bread worked great, but you can use what you like)
  
• 2 cups mild cheese (about 8 ounces), plus more for topping if desired

If using fresh spinach, steam it in a steamer basket over boiling water until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a strainer and let cool; squeeze very dry with your hands. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop; you should have about 1 cup. Set aside.

Trim mushrooms; if using shiitakes, remove and discard stems. Wipe mushrooms clean and cut into ¹/₄ inch-thick slices.

Use some of the butter to lightly coat a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Melt remaining butter in a large skillet over high heat until it foams. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and saute, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ¹/₂ teaspoon of the salt and a grinding of black pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook, stirring, to evaporate any remaining moisture. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Whisk in milk and mustard until blended. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.

To assemble strata, use half the bread slices to make a single layer in the prepared baking dish, cutting them, if necessary, to fit tightly. Spoon mushroom mixture evenly over bread. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Use remaining bread slices to make a second layer, once again cutting to fit if necessary.

Pour egg mixture evenly over strata, using a spatula to press on the bread so the liquid is evenly absorbed. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese (plus a little more if desired). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover strata and bake until puffed and browned, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, then serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Marie Simmons, "The Good Egg"

SMOKED SALMON, CREAM CHEESE AND WATERCRESS ROULADE

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Worried about attempting a souffle, then watching it fall flat in your guests' faces? Try a pretty roulade, which is an egg and milk mixture baked in a jelly roll pan, then filled, rolled and sliced. Fillings can be whatever you like -- avocado, tomato, fresh corn and cilantro or goat cheese, chopped fresh tomatoes and basil, or a combination of your own making.

The taste of this dish wowed even my egg-hating husband.

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
  
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
  
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
  
• 1 Basic Roulade (recipe below), made without cheese and cooled
  
• 2 cups coarsely chopped watercress
  
• 8 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  
• 1/2 cup peeled and finely chopped seedless (or seeded) cucumber
  
• 2 tablespoons rinsed, drained and chopped capers

Combine cream cheese, chives and dill in a medium bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until light. Spread the cream cheese mixture over roulade, leaving a ¹/₂-inch border around edges. Sprinkle watercress evenly over cream cheese. Top with salmon, cucumber and capers.

Gently roll up roulade from long edge closest to you. If not serving immediately, wrap in foil and refrigerate until ready to serve, then, if desired, heat at 300 degrees for 10 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife (wiped clean after each slice if you're picky about how it's going to look on the plate) to cut into thick slices and serve.

Serves 8.

"The Good Egg"

BASIC ROULADE

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• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1 1/2 cups milk, warmed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• Freshly ground white pepper
  
• Pinch cayenne pepper, to taste
  
• 6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
  
• 1/2 cup grated Swiss, cheddar or Gruyere cheese (optional, leave out for recipe above)
  
• Pinch of cream of tartar

Position rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper trimmed to form neat edges and spray parchment paper generously with nonstick spray.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes more. Add salt, grinding or few dashes of white pepper and cayenne to taste. Remove from heat.

In medium bowl, whisk egg yolks until blended. Whisk in about ¹/₂ cup of white sauce to temper eggs, then add remaining sauce, whisking until blended. Stir in cheese, if using.

Place egg whites in a large bowl, add cream of tartar and beat slowly with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Increase speed to high and beat until peaks are stiff and smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold about one-quarter of the egg whites into the white sauce. Add remaining whites to the white sauce and gently fold until blended. Carefully spoon into prepared pan (if you pour it in, the whites will deflate) and spread evenly.

Bake until roulade is puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 2 minutes. Run a small spatula around edges to make sure the paper is not sticking to the pan. Spray a 15-inch-long sheet of parchment paper generously with nonstick cooking spray and place on top of roulade, sprayed side down. Invert onto large rack and lift off the jelly roll pan. Peel parchment paper from the bottom of the roulade, gently releasing it with edge of spatula if it has stuck.

Fill roulade while it is still warm, or let it cool to room temperature. If not using immediately, roll it up in parchment paper, wrap it in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If you want to serve the roulade warm, reheat it (still wrapped in foil) in a 300-degree oven for about 10 minutes. (Don't worry if it cracks, as it will repair itself when the filling is spread inside.)

Serves 8.

"The Good Egg"

POPOVERS

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Were you born in a barn? I think not, so keep the oven door closed on these until they're really and truly finished. You'll have lots of fun peeking through the window, though, as these treats pop up and over the rim of the pan. They are quick and simple to make -- just five ingredients -- and their high, hollow, steamy middles are absolutely luscious when spread with butter and some jam and served with eggs instead of the usual toast.

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 1 1/4 cups milk, at room temperature
  
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Position a rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin (regular size) or two 6-cup muffin tins or two 12-cup mini-muffin pans with the melted butter.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl (preferably one with a pouring spout) until well blended. Add milk and whisk until blended. Add flour and salt; whisk until thoroughly blended and batter is smooth.

Pour or ladle batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup two-thirds full. Place tin in oven and immediately turn heat up to 450 degrees. Bake 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and let bake 20 minutes more (or 15 minutes more if using mini-muffin tins). Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes. Serve hot or warm, or reheat by setting on baking sheet and heating in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Makes 12 popovers.

"The Good Egg"