Many ways to scramble eggs

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 17

Many ways to scramble eggs

Alison Hoist’s

Food Facts

If you were Io take a dozen people, put them in a kitchen with supplies of eggs, milk, butter, pepper and salt, and ask them to make scrambled eggs, you would be certain to finish up with twelve different versions of the dish. Even if you issued each person with a list giving definite proportions of ingredients, they would be likely to produce recognisably different results. What’s more, each person would probably assure you that his or her version was the only right one! Egg cooking is not as simple as you might think. Small variations in ingredients, cooking time, and cooking procedures alter the final product enormously. The three main variations in scrambled eggs are: • The amount of liquid added to each egg • The cooking time • The amount of stirring during cooking The more liquid added, the softer the set egg will be. The longer the egg is cooked, the firmer it will be. The more it is stirred during cooking, the more it will break up, and separate into solid lumps, and watery liquid. I have strong feelings about my scrambled eggs. I think that the eggs should be briefly beaten with a fairly small amount of milk, that the mixture should be fairly soft and custardy, that it should never be stirred, but should be very gently scraped from the bottom after the egg starts to coagulate, and that it should be removed from the heat, and the pan before it is completely set, since it finishes cooking on the plate. Although I know that I would enjoy eating two eggs, scrambled with cream, I usually limit myself to a ration of one egg, a teaspoon of butter, and milk, not cream. I DO add different flavours, and enjoy the way small amounts of added food alter the finished dish. My favourite herb additions are finely chopped chives, thyme, chervil, marjoram, dill, tarragon or parsley. If you do not grow fresh herbs yourself, look for packs of fresh herbs in supermarkets and greengrocers stores. 1 often add chopped sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes, bacon or cheese to my scrambled eggs. If I want a little treat, I add smoked salmon, or other smoked seafood to my scrambled eggs. I like my eggs on toast, partly because it makes a small serving look bigger. My favourite toast base is lightly browned, sour dough English Muffins. For 2 smallish servings you need 2 tsp butter 2 eggs

y 3 cup milk % tsp salt pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small frying pan, over moderate heat. Do not let the butter brown. Combine the remaining ingredients, beating them with a fork, only enough to combine the whites and yolks. Tip the eggs into the pan. Heat over low to moderate heat, running a spatula or fish-slice slowly and gently along the bottom of the pan to lift off the egg mixture as it cooks, and to allow uncoagulated egg to take its place. Keep the masses of softly-set egg in large pieces. Do not stir the egg at any time. Remove the pan from the heat, and carefully lift the egg onto hot, buttered toast, before it is completely set, since it will become firmer as it'stands. Variations: Sprinkle grated or finely chopped cheese, finely chopped ham, drained, chopped, cooked asparagus, or slivers of chopped salmon, over the surface of the half-set egg. Chop fresh herbs very finely, and add them to the eggs before beating them with the milk. Chop bacon, mushrooms, onions, garlic, tomatoes, etc finely, and saute them in a little extra butter in the pan, before adding the uncooked egg. Use less or no salt, if desired. Remember that butter and additions like bacon, have salt in them. Microwaved Scrambled eggs Eggs scrambled in the microwave oven cook more quickly, and leave you with less mess to clean up afterwards. You should experiment, scrambling eggs in the microwave at least four times in a few days, until you become familiar with the routine; and then decide whether you prefer them to conventionally cooked scrambled eggs. Mix and cook the eggs in a pyrex cup or jug, or in a small shallow bowl from which you can eat them as well, if you want to save on the washing-up. For one egg, melt a teaspoon of butter in the container you have chosen. Add 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of milk, and some finely chopped herbs, etc. Mix with a fork until combined. Microwave on full power to 30 to 40 seconds, stir to move the cooked egg to the centre, then cook about 30 seconds longer, until you see the egg increase in volume. Remove, stir gently, then leave to stand for about a minute to finish cooking. If the egg is not firm enough, heat again in 10 to 20 second bursts. 2 eggs and !4 cup milk cook in 2 to 3 minutes. 4 eggs and y 2 cup milk cook in about 4 minutes. NOTE: Leave out the butter and add a pinch of salt, if preferred.