A very quick post…
As I mentioned, when we were at the Youeni Foodstore in Castle Hill last week, owner and chef Chris Starke mentioned to me that he always cooked his scrambled eggs without milk or cream. This was backed up by my friend Rebecca, the InTolerant Chef.
So this morning, I gave it a go.
I feel like I’ve discovered a hidden secret! The eggs were incredibly rich and creamy, and delicious with our faux brioche toast and smoked salmon.
I melted a knob of good salted butter in a non-stick pan and then poured in the well beaten eggs. These were stirred constantly over a medium low* heat until soft creamy curds formed – I removed the pan while the mixture was still a little loose to allow the residual heat to finish the cooking process. The scrambled eggs were seasoned with a little salt and pepper before serving.
I know this is a very basic technique, but it’s new to me, and I was so excited that I had to share. As there aren’t any other ingredients, it’s important to use the very best eggs you can lay your hands on!
Hope you’re all having a fabulous weekend! ♥
*On the advice of both Chris and Doc in the comments below, I’ll be cooking these slowly over a low heat from now on!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Oooo, new to me too. I load scrambled eggs with equal quantities of cream, which means it’s relegated to an occasional treat.
Thanks Celia.
Grilly, I think the secret is to cook them relatively gently – I hope you like them like this, I was really surprised how well they turned out. I made scrambled eggs a second time on the same day and fed them to the boys for lunch – they both raved about them! :)
Interesting… I’ve always made my scrambled eggs this way, no cream, no milk. Glad you tried it, it does make for a nice breakfast, brunch (or in my case, often it’s lunch). Of course, the smoked salmon on top brings it to perfection!
have a great…. Sunday or almost Sunday already for you!
Sally, I’ve never done it this way before, I’ve always beaten the eggs with milk first. Never again! :)
Please, don’t laugh.. but sometimes I add a teaspoon of… WATER right when I start the eggs in the pan. I read somewhere, years and years ago that it helps create just a little steam that provides a smoother end to the scramble. Sometimes I forget, but more often than not, I add it. Works well for me ;0)
Good to know, Sally! :)
This is also how I scramble eggs, and if they start going a bit dry, I stir in a scant spoonful of creme fraiche at the end. Yummy!
Misky, I think that’s what French chefs do as well. But taking the eggs off the heat about 10 seconds before I thought they were done kept them really creamy for me! :)
I make scrambled eggs this way too but I add my salt and pepper to the cracked eggs then beat. Wish I had some of your backyard eggs.
Norma, it was amazing how much we could taste the eggs this way! And we are very, very lucky to have our own eggs, I was reminded again of that when I was making this dish! :)
I beat my eggs with a good quality (soft) salted butter and continue to beat as it cooks in pan…fluffy and buttery…
Oooh Norma, that’s a new method, I’ve never heard of beating them with butter before! Thanks! :)
I have always heard never to add salt to raw eggs as it makes them tough. I have no idea if that is true. I just don’t do it because my grandmother said not to. Any ideas?
Anna, I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve heard the same thing as well, which is why I salt after the eggs are cooked..
Anna, have a look at the comment from Chris at Youeni below! :)
I’m another one who has never added cream to my scrambled eggs! Just the eggs, a tiny drop of milk and seasoning.
Jeannette, it was surprising how different these tasted without anything added at all! :)
I had never heard of this, going to give it a go
I hope you enjoy it! :)
Leaving out milk, why? is it to save on calories… I add milk, never added cream in my life (chefs do because they don’t care about fat, just flavour) and I cook them in a non stick frypan with modicum of butter. Like some of your readers, not an every day occurrence so not stressing.
Roz, these were the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever eaten! It’s not to save calories, it’s for flavour – these are much better than any I’ve ever made with milk or cream! Also Becca said that it’s the dairy that can cause the scrambled eggs to split.. x
Aren’t scrambled eggs a culinary minefield? I like mine dryish, I don’t like them wet and i guess what people mean by ‘creamy’, and I like them with plenty of pepper… oh and I have to confess I do add milk, although I only cook them in butter…
Lois, it’s definitely something that’s subject to personal preference! :) I’m the opposite – I like them creamy and almost runny, but I know a lot of people who don’t like their eggs too soft!
If I’m cooking them for someone else I always have to ask them really carefully how they like them, and then check as I go along!
These sound great Celia! I m really intrigued to try them! Will have to pop out to the markets today and find some very fresh eggs.
Ella, I was astonished how good these tasted! I don’t know why I’ve been making them with milk all these years! :)
Nice post Celia, I love how you always share your new discoveries. I’ve cooked scrambled eggs this way my entire life. That’s how my mother did it and, no doubt, her mother before her too.
Of course, I’ve tried Bill Granger’s scramble with cream etc, but always seem to go back to the good old fashioned way. I like your idea of serving with smoked salmon and your brioche. Yummy!
Lizzy, thank you! I almost didn’t post this one – I felt a bit daft telling people how to scramble eggs! But it was so different to how I’d always been taught, and it just tasted so darn good! :)
I had the scrambled eggs at Youeni on Friday (after reading your last post) and they were great – funnily they seemed really “creamy”…I guess that’s just the egg doing it’s thing…and the butter too!
Mel, isn’t it bizarre? I don’t know why they turned out so creamy either! I only used a small knob of butter. :) I must try them at Youeni when we go again – good to know they tasted as good as they looked! :)
Great idea to post your discovery Celia! It all starts with the basics, and doing them the best you can, wonderful ingredients need so little mucking about with. Nice big ‘curds’ are what you’re aiming for in the pan, and pulling it off just a little early is perfect.
I love smoked salmon with eggs- so yummy indeed, and add a slice of fresh brioche- sublime! Xox
Oooh, thanks for the tips, Becca! And the prompt to try this! xx
I wonder if this is a geographical thing – Raised in North America (Toronto, Canada, but it was my dad, who’s Polish/Austrian/Russian, who taught me to make scrambled eggs) it would never occur to me to put milk or cream in my scrambled eggs, just mix them with a fork and into a buttered (or oiled) pan they go.
I should note that I have been known to throw in a generous handful of finely grated Parmesan, some fresh thyme and a little oregano (my husband adds a sprinkle of D’Arbolo chilies as well) when we want zip. Or, if I’m going to do a ‘Jewish brunch’ with rye, smoked salmon, a sweet Kugel and bagels, I’ll season them with chopped capers, some fresh dill and some toasted cracked caraway seeds.
That all sounds delicious, Sarah! Like a scrambled egg omelette! :)
I’ve done them this way, but can’t resist putting in a dollop of cream – I just love it!
Very French, Amanda! :)
Ha, I always wondered why people added milk or cream. I’ve never done that myself as it means they get over cooked before they scramble because there is too much liquid, Scrambled eggs is skaters “best” dish he makes a wow of a scrambled eggs , just by not adding anything and not overcooking. Hes rightfully proud of his achievement. God only knows he doesn’t eat anything else, this scrambled eggs is usually followed by nutella on bread
Tan, I love it when all the chefs agree! :) Good on Skater for being able to nail this dish – it’s taken me thirty years longer than him! :) See you soon! xx
I’m comin’ round tomorrow morning. Get the girls laying ….!
Breakfast for your little man! :)
This is how we do ours. Lucky you to have fresh eggs daily :)
Tandy, we are very lucky, although the girls aren’t laying nearly as much as they used to! :)
If you can absorb one more suggestion regarding scrambled eggs, next time you do your eggs the new way you’ve just discovered, do it with a verrrrrrrry low heat under the pan – and stirring the eggs all the while – and just like you did with your new way, take them off while they are still soft and wet. Trust me, the low heat makes them even better!
Great tip, thanks Doc! :)
This inspired my brekkie this morning, Celia … and I had the added possibly unfair advantage of having some of your faux brioche to go with it!!
Darling, I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for the photo! :)
I did an omelet this morning and the pan was too hot. :-(
It came out all toasty. Next time, cold pan.
Maz
That’s a shame! I haven’t made an omelette in ages – what were you planning to put in it?
Celia, looks so delicious……….can’t wait to go to Youeni!
Elaine, go, go! :) And if you’re there at breakfast, try the scrambled eggs! :)
Yumm! Unfortunately I have already had my breakfast as I read this.
Shakti
There’s always breakfast tomorrow! :)
This is so exciting!! glad the eggs worked out well. Just use half a 5c piece size of butter. Season right at the end as salt breaks down the proteins and draws out the water causing it to not be awesomely creamy. Same principle as curing meats etc. Draws the moisture out. Pepper is ok at the start.
Chris, you are a star, thank you for teaching us this! :) Will try with less butter next time – the eggs blew us away with how creamy they were! Thanks for explaining about the salt!
This truly is the only way to scramble eggs Celi. When I make scrambled eggs for family and friends, they all want to know what I put in them to make them so nice and they are all amazed when I say nothing.
Have a beautiful week ahead.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, that’s great to know! They must think you’re brilliant when you tell them you haven’t added anything! :)
I’m going to make it this way next and see which one I prefer! I think my mum makes it without adding cream or milk and it’s good although she adds lot of other things in it so I’ll be interested in how it tastes with just the eggs.
Let me know how you go, Lorraine! Two of our neighbours are trying it this weekend! :)
I gave up putting milk in my eggs as they kind of lost oomph (I think I did it originally to try and make them go further) but I do them pretty much the way you describe here these days. I always take them off the heat while they are a little bit runny and then they are perfect when they get to the table. It must be something in the interaction between eggs and dairy, emulsification? I dunno.. xx
The reason why the eggs come out creamy is because you have a fat (yolk) and a water base (egg white aka albumen which is also protein rich). These two compounds are the perfect recipe for as you say emulsification. Cooking it slowly allows the proteins, water and fat networks to stretch and not shrink or separate forming tight bonds which in effect gives you the creamy texture that’s so darn delicious. If you were to cook it fast you notice that the egg clumps up and the water from the egg white breaks free and evaporates making it dry. The flavour is also impacted by this.
Salt too early in the process breaks the network as salt is the one thing that breaks down fat which is the most important compound in this reaction.
Anyway…hah! enough rambling on. Hope this brings some more insight into the egg. I discovered it reading and playing around on the pastry section in my early days.
~ chris.
Thanks Chris for the chemistry lesson. I knew there had to be a reason!
Chris, thank you! :) Your cooking classes are going to be amazing! And on your (and Doc’s) suggestions, I’ve edited the blogpost to recommend cooking over a low heat rather than a medium one. Heading into the kitchen now to make myself scrambled eggs for breakfast! :) xx
Jo, I should have known your scrambled eggs would be delicious! Especially with those lovely eggs you occasionally get! :) xx
I have no idea why some people put milk in scrambled eggs but it does sound like a depression extender trick. Eggs with melted fetta in them are however very delicious. Melted fetta and climbing spinach YUM.
Frances, you’re probably right, it does sound like an extender trick! :)
This has never been a problem for me, Celia. I rarely have milk in the fridge and use soy milk in my coffee. I have seen TV chefs decry the use of milk in eggs, though. Judging by the comments here, you’ve taught more than a few of us something new today. :)
John, thank you, although with all these comments, I’ve learned a whole lot more from all of you! :)
My husband would consider this the perfect breakfast.
Karen, so would my sons! Pete though, needs cereal! :)
Lovely post (as always) but what, please, is faux brioche? I’ve only ever heard of the real thing!
Maeve, thank you – it’s a loaf that I make using our pain viennois dough – much easier than the real thing! :)
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2009/09/17/pain-viennois/
I make a double batch of the dough and bake it in three loaf tins.. :)
Yep! This is the way I make my scrambled eggs too, I also love that your serve yours with smoked salmon as well :) Delicious
Thank you! It’s been hard to have anything else for breakfast these last couple of days! :)
I don’t use cream or milk in mine either Celia. Lets the eggs shine as I’m sure yours do!
Good to know that’s how you make them as well, Claire, thank you! :)
Slap my hand, but i’ve always added a dash (or two) of milk. Love the sound of these eggs … will be putting the technique to practice at the weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Hehe..I’ve been beating milk in like a mad woman for thirty years, so there won’t be any handslapping on my part! :) Thanks for stopping in – and also thanks for the great article you wrote ages ago about hormone in beef – I referenced it in a piece I wrote on grassfed beef a while back..
https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2011/08/29/grass-fed-beef/
I already knew that! It makes all the difference, don’t it?? I am happy that you discovered this too! I love your tasty picture too! :) MMMMMMMM!
Sophie, thank you! :)
There is always room for another better way of cooking the not so humble egg… over the years I have proceeded to cook scrambled eggs the same way… not through technique but because we rarely have milk in the fridge! So much better than the old fashioned milk-egg mix. That said my aunt has a secret microwave scambled egg technique that beats any other scrambled egg I’ve eaten…
ED, I’d be most impressed by a microwave recipe – I’ve never ever made it work. Then again, I think last time I tried, I was in college.. :)