Today’s post is my second contribution to the International Incident Party. The theme for this month is eggs. Is there anything more versatile or used more often in baking than eggs? In fact, there were so many possibilities that it was hard to narrow it down.
So I decided it was the perfect opportunity to turned to a new cookbook I received from my dear blogging buddy, Shelby, The Life & Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch. Joy of Cooking – All About Breakfast & Brunch has so many fabulous breakfast ideas, but it also has great tips on cooking the basics, like poached and scrambled eggs.
I was intrigued by the recipe for French Scrambled Eggs:
It takes both patience and a bit of technique to make great looking and tasting scrambled eggs. First, beat the eggs until the white and yolks are completely blended. The addition of cream, butter, milk or even water will keep the eggs more tender when cooked to medium doneness. But the liquid can also separate out and turn the eggs watery, especially if they are cooked too quickly—gentle heat is essential for producing soft, delectable eggs.
The lower the heat, the longer it takes the eggs to cook, and the creamier the result. The French technique takes this principle to an extreme by cooking scrambled eggs in a double boiler. Infrequent stirring will produce large, uneven curds; more constant, careful stirring and scraping of the bottom of the pan will result in more delicate, billowy curds and creamier eggs. Vigorous stirring will produce small curds. Finally, scramble eggs must be served immediately. We recommend transferring them to warmed plates while they are slightly underdone. They will continue to cook and firm up on their way to the table.
I prefer my scramble eggs with large curds, but the idea of delicate billowy curds and creamier eggs sounded fabulous, so I opted for constant stirring. This technique really does make the eggs lighter and fluffier, I don’t usually use this much butter in my eggs, and I don’t think it’s really necessary. Next time I use this technique, I would probably just add a little milk instead of the cut butter.
French Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 to 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in the top of a double boiler over, not in, boiling water.
- Beat together eggs, cut butter, salt and pepper until the whites and yolks are completely combined.
- Pour the eggs into the double boiler and stir with a wooden spoon as the butter melts.
- Continue stirring, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the eggs have thickened into soft, creamy curds, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Stop by all the other bloggers participating in this month’s International Incident Eggs Party to get more great ideas for using the incredible edible egg.
Paul Burditch
I beg to differ with you but the best scramnbled eggs of my life are French using a very slow cook method over a double boiler. This best experience was at Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V Paris. This venerable hotel institution has a 2-Star Michelin Award and two scrambled eggs ordered ala carte will put you back over $25.00 but ‘memorable and the best’ they are!, as is the setting. Magnifique!
Bill Boswell
The butter with the eggs is a special touch, but using the double boiler method prevents browning the solids in the butter, after you have boiled off the water, which requires you to use a skellet, and then adding the eggs combined with either water, milk ,or cream. Many people have asked “what did you do to these eggs, they are wonderful”, and it’s the browned butter. A friend ran a “take out” lunch restaurant and his secret to making the best hamburger ever tasted, was to brush the inside of the buns with grill butter and place them face down on the griddle until the grill butter and bun were brown. I even brown butter my Po’ boy buns when I make an Oyster Po’ boy. A famous restaurant S’port, LA beat a very famous restaurant in NOLA on my “Best Oyster Po’ boy anywhere contest”, because the S’port restaurant used a BBB on theirs.
Barbara Schieving
You can’t go wrong with better butter!
BethieofVA
Oh how fancy! Do you hold your pinkie in the air when eating those eggs. YUM!!! I wish I could mail you a dozen.
Mimi
A simple meal of fresh eggs, perfectly cooked, is heavenly.
Mimi
grace
Looks like they turned out great. This is my kind of breakfast!
PerfectingPru
I used to just whisk up the eggs when I did them – quick and on high heat, but then I read the Michel Roux recipe and now I do them very slowly and on low heat like you did – its incredible the difference it makes!
pigpigscorner
Beautiful! Love scrambled eggs, so creamy and yummy!
Blond Duck
I eat eggs every day, twice if I’m having a breakfast dinner!
Cristie
Scrambled eggs are such a basic. I love you did a post on this. Your breakfast looks beatiful. Sounds like a fun new cookbook as well.
Eliana
Eggs are by far my FAVORITE breakfast! I eat them all day long. This preparation looks super delish!
Reeni
This is exactly how I like my eggs Barbara! I had no idea I was making them French style! I can’t stand for them to be any brown on them so I cook them over real low heat. Delicious!
Jamie
There is an art to making good scrambled eggs. Thanks for sharing this technique.