Scrambled Eggs
We so often think of scrambled eggs served only with bacon or sausage for an everyday breakfast, but they make a fine fancy breakfast or even luncheon dish with baked tomatoes, sautéed potatoes, asparagus tips, and all manner of garnishes. Scrambled eggs are also good cold, as you will see later on, but I don’t think these do well when mixed up with other things. I like them to stand alone and be garnished on the side.
Recipe information
Yield
For 8 eggs, serving 4 people
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Scrambled eggs should be soft, broken curds, and the more gently and slowly you cook them, the more tender and delicious they will be. Choose the same 10-inch heavy nonstick pan used for the preceding omelets. Have warm but not hot plates at hand. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl just to blend whites and yolks, adding 1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) and several grinds of pepper. Set the pan over moderate heat with 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and when it is melted, swirl the pan to cover bottom and sides.
Step 2
Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the eggs into the pan, turn heat to moderately low, and start slowly scraping the eggs from the bottom of the pan as they very gradually coagulate into soft curds. This will take several minutes. When they are thickened as you wish, remove pan from heat and, to stop the cooking and cream the eggs, fold in the remainder of the beaten egg. Taste, and correct seasoning. If you wish, fold in a tablespoon or so of soft unsalted butter or of heavy cream. Serve at once.
Additions and Variations
Step 3
SUGGESTED ACCOMPANIMENTS (OTHER THAN CRISP BACON, HAM, SAUSAGES, AND SO FORTH). 1-Buttered toast points—neat, small triangles of white toast
Step 4
2-Tomatoes Provençal—tomato halves baked with seasoned bread crumbs (page 29)
Step 5
3-Cooked asparagus tips warmed in butter
Step 6
4-Any of the garnishes suggested for the omelets (page 65)
Step 7
COLD SCRAMBLED EGGS IN A TOMATO SHELL. Fold pipérade (page 32) into the just-scrambled eggs. Season well, mound into hollowed-out halves of fresh ripe tomatoes, and chill.
Step 8
COLD SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH DILL. Season the just-scrambled eggs with chopped fresh dill, chill, and serve with smoked salmon.
