It’s time for installment No. 2 of Egg Cookery 101, and it seemed to me that the next preparation to tackle was incontestable.
The scrambled egg.
There are many ways to scramble an egg, and no doubt, many of them produce satisfactory results. But, for my favorite scrambled egg there is only one path to triumph, and this is it.
Narcissistic? Perhaps, but I am not claiming that my permutation of the humble scrambled egg is the best. After all, there is no question that many a fine egg has been scrambled in a myriad of ways differing from my personal method. Therefore, I claim only that it is my favorite method, and I would wager it will soon be yours as well.
So yes, it’s kind of the best.
Step One: The eggs.
Fresh and cracked.
The second step requires a bit more consideration.
As a rule, I never whisk eggs with an actual whisk, and that is because I believe they tend to over-mix the eggs. Several good mixes with a fork is all you need. We are really just trying to break up the yolks and whites. We do not want to achieve homogenization here.
Step Three: Cream; one heavy splash.
Step Four: Salt; lightly sprinkled.
The one factor I consider to be completely uncompromisable is the heat. It must be medium. High heat is for boiling water, not for creating a something light and airy. If your stovetop tends to run a little hot, turn the heat down a bit more. There should be no browning happening in the egg pan.
I always let my butter melt completely and add my eggs only when it has begun to bubble. Then, I allow the eggs to sit for one minute before I touch them. Yes, one whole minute. Set your timer. This gives the eggs a chance to cook roughly one-half of the way.
After the minute has passed, take a spoon or spatula, and gently fold the eggs over themselves and gently break them up so that all areas cook evenly. Do not beat them, just gently move them around until they are just about to where you like them,* and remove the pan from the heat. Taking the eggs off of the heat a bit prematurely is essential, as they will always set a bit more after you get them on your plate.
*For me, this only takes one minute or just under.
There you have it. My favorite scrambled egg, that I hope will soon become yours.
This concludes lesson two of Egg Cookery 101, a class taught by someone classically trained over many hours of half-awake breakfast preparation. Super fancy.
Sincerely,
Pedantic Foodie
