Posted on 04/17/2021 1:32:39 PM PDT by be-baw
Scrambled eggs are just one of those foods. You know, the type that seem simple enough in theory, and yet have somehow generated many tutorials, hacks, and recipes — each only slightly tweaked from the last but still garnering their own loyal following. Perhaps Chrissy Teigen’s recipe is your holy grail, or you swear by Anthony Bourdain’s. Well, I’m sorry to tell you that there’s a new contender in town: J. Kenji López-Alt’s viral recipe that promises the fluffiest, creamiest scrambled eggs with the help of one unexpected ingredient. Maybe it’s time to reconsider your favourite?
The American chef’s secret trick? Adding starch. In an article for the New York Times, López-Alt explains that he stumbled upon this hack by way of Mandy Lee, a Vancouver-based Taiwanese food blogger who runs the website Lady & Pups. Cooking for her sick puppy, Lee found that adding cornstarch to her eggs allowed them to remain silky and soft. Multiple experiments with starch were able to replicate this result, even when the eggs were cooked over high heat.
In fact, the use of starch to enhance egg recipes is not entirely a new phenomenon. It is a common ingredient used in Chinese cooking to keep omelettes fluffy on the outside while crispy on the outside.
But how does this figure into your morning scrambled eggs? López-Alt claims that applying this technique speeds up cooking time, writing that, “it takes on new life when combined with Mr. Boulud’s cold cubed butter and my own modest evaporation method of gauging proper pan temperature...now even my weekday morning eggs can be as velvety and tender as I’d like.”
Without further ado, here’s López-Alt’s recipe.
What you’ll need: two teaspoons of starch (potato, tapioca or cornstarch will do), four tablespoons of cold unsalted butter (cut into quarter inch cubes), four eggs and a pinch of salt.
He then adds the starch to one and a half tablespoons of water to form a slurry. He adds half the butter cubes, eggs and salt to this slurry and whisks it till it’s combined and frothy.
To properly gauge the heat of the pan, he adds a little water — roughly a tablespoon — to it. The water helps to regulate the heat of the pan, and once it’s almost fully evaporated, that’s a sign that your pan is at the right temperature, just above 100 degrees celsius or 212 degrees fahrenheit.
In the pan, melt the remaining butter until it is almost fully melted, which should take about 10 seconds. Take caution to ensure the butter doesn’t brown. Add the egg mixture to the melted butter, and using a spatula, push and fold the eggs. Do so until they just slightly underdone compared to how you usually take your eggs, because the remaining heat will continue cooking them. It should only take about a minute or two, depending on your preferred doneness. Et voilà — scrambled eggs!
It sounds simple enough doesn’t it? And it looks delectable too — López-Alt pairs his luscious eggs with two slices of toasted bread. A perfect breakfast. Why not give it a try? You can thank us later.
a little milk and cheese works pretty good
Anthony Bourdain, eh? Yeah, I always get my cooking advice from a GD junkie.
Bkmk
No. Over a flame in a saute pan.
Speeds up cooking time from 2 minutes to 1.5 minutes, but adds 10 minutes of prep time. This was a solution in search of a problem.
I like French creamed eggs. They’re the bomb.
I use half and half and cheese.
Anthony Bourdain’s recipe
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He hung gayness in a closet and you want us to eat like he did?
I prefer adding diced jalapeños or chopped green onions or tomatillo sauce. Gives them that little zing. Add a little grated cheese or Mexican fiesta blend cheese on top to melt just before they are done cooking.
I don't like to scramble the eggs and then pour them into the pan. Too bland looking. I like color and texture. I prefer to cook them for a little bit sunny side up and then cut them up before serving.
I eat a lot of eggs because we have chickens on the farm and it is one of the no or low sugar foods on my list.
Found out it's a fairly common recipe.
The simplest dishes are the true test of a good cook. Anybody can gussy something up so it’s interesting—TOO interesting.
I’ll go with the keep-it-simple, cook slowly (in butter) on low heat so it doesn’t get tough—and you can get it off the heat at the right second, when it is just a shade before being done. (It continues to cook for a few seconds.)
Don’t do fluffy. The flavor is not as concentrated when you do fluffy, and eggs are bland enough as it is. This is eggs, not a soufle.
Salt, a little pepper can be added on the plate for those who like it.
Quality of the eggs and butter are the first concern.
What about consistency? I can eat tasteless things just for that.
“Will this work in my microwave?”
I make “scrambled” eggs in my microwave.
Spray glass measuring cup (or any safe container PAM, or wipe vegetable oil.
Whisk 2 eggs with milk, add salt to taste. (Some say to add pepper but I do that after cooking. Pepper makes it dingy.) Cover with Saran Wrap. Poke a hole to vent.
Microwave at about 70% power for about 90 seconds, stirring a few times during cooking.
Cover and let stand for about 1 minute. Eggs will look moist, but will finish cooking upon standing.
With that said, there are hundreds of ways of making eggs. I can say without a doubt, there is only one correct way to prepare scrambled eggs. That is the one way that produces scrambled eggs the way you most enjoy eating.
In my journeys of going though many recipes and reviews, I have found that a lot of people have an aversion to "runny" or what they consider undercooked eggs. I encourage people to take a walk on the wild side, safely knowing that the vast majority of egg preparations involving runny yolks actually bring the yolk to temperatures above 150 F. It is helpful to know that egg whites begin to solidify at 160 F and egg yolks at 165 F. Armed with this bit a knowledge there is a lot you can do safely with with eggs and it can open an entire world of wonderful egg dishes.
Personally, my favorite method of preparing scrambled eggs is Jacques Pépin's Classic Scrambled Eggs | American Masters: At Home with Jacques Pépin | PBS. That is close to the method that Julia Child that can be seen when she cooks with Pepin in this video: Child & Pepin Eggs
A little milk, a little butter, a little salt and pepper. And a little spatula. And Eggs, glorious eggs. Master the egg and you will do well. (I heard that here i think)
Just basically adding fat/to with the butter, and a sugar/sweet with the starch
“He hung gayness in a closet and you want us to eat like he did?”
You eat whatever you want and I will do the same. I don’t think many doubt Bourdain’s cooking skills. Even if he was screwed up. Good food is good food.
Yes with the cheese. Cheddar.
Yes with the cheese. Cheddar.
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