An Elegant Scramble

Even a meal as simple as scrambled eggs can be elevated into a special meal with just a little extra effort. Some chefs consider their approach to making scrambled eggs a testament to their fine culinary skills. But too often, home cooks end up with scrambled eggs that are rubbery, gooey or, worse yet, dry.

When I was growing up I learned to make scrambled eggs by first beating them with a little milk and then cooking them in a glob of butter - the type of pan didn’t seem to matter much at all.

I love scrambled eggs even as a light meal for supper. But now I’m very particular about how I make my eggs and which pan I use. My husband and I bought a nonstick GreenPan solely for cooking eggs. We wouldn’t dare use it for any other purpose at the risk of ruining the exquisite nonstick surface and we even hide it when family or guests come to stay.

Despite how nice the pan is it’s still possible to ruin the scrambled eggs if you’re not careful, so here’s my approach along with a couple of tips on heightening scrambled eggs into a meal worthy of serving to company.

First, buy the absolute freshest eggs available - local farm fresh eggs are best as chances are the eggs have been laid that morning. Don’t stress over any chicken residue on the eggs, just give them a rinse under cold running water and dry them with a paper towel.

Keep your mind on CURDS. Gentle eggy curds. That’s the way your scrambled eggs should taste. I keep mine unadulterated. I don’t add water, cream or milk. I beat two eggs in a little bowl and cook them very slowly in ghee (clarified butter) although you can cook them in melted butter with similarly delicious results.

The secret lies in undercooking the eggs a bit. They’ll continue to solidify after you remove them from the heat – so, for the creamiest eggs, take them off the heat a bit early.

To elevate humble scrambled eggs into an elegant meal, I put the cooked eggs into a 3” round cookie mold (as you would use for steak tartare) and top them with some chopped fresh chives and pink peppercorns.

ELEGANT SCRAMBLED EGGS

For each serving:
2 farm fresh eggs
1 tablespoon of butter
½ teaspoon chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon pink peppercorns
Special Equipment: 3” round cookie cutter

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them well with a fork. (Do not be tempted to add any water or milk.)

In a small frying pan, preferable non-stick, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Swirl the butter to coat the entire bottom surface of the pan.

Turn the heat down to low and pour in the beaten eggs. As soon as the eggs begin to solidify around the edges, begin stirring. Periodically remove the pan from the heat for a couple of seconds to keep the temperature low. When the scrambled eggs are mostly solid but a few streaks of yellow liquid remain, remove the pan from the heat.

Place your cookie cutter in the center of a plate and gently pack the scrambled eggs into the mold. Let the eggs solidify into a round shape by leaving the mold in place for about a minute. If any liquid seeps out onto the plate, blot it up with a paper towel.

Carefully remove the round mold and sprinkle fresh chives and pink peppercorns over the scrambled eggs. I like to serve the eggs with a small handful of fresh baby greens on the side.