We believe strongly that "putting an egg on it" transforms almost anything into a meal. But lately we've turned our attention away from our beloved olive oil-fried egg and toward a soft sunny scramble.
We know what you're thinking: Do I really need a recipe for scrambled eggs? If you just want a plate of scrambled eggs, no. But if you want uniformly golden, soft on the verge of custardy, scrambled eggs, then yes. Yes, you do. Here's how we do it.
The Technique
1. Kind of goes without saying these days but when it comes to cooking, especially something as simple as scrambled eggs, your final product is only as good as the ingredient(s) you start with. Use the freshest eggs you can find. We're partial to farmers' market eggs with their golden orange yolks, but organic and free range is always your best bet.
2. Whip it good. So good that you combine the whites and yolks for a streak-free scramble. Getting a good amount of air into the mix for ultra light, tender eggs is key. Season the eggs now with a little bit of salt.
3. Know. Your. Stove. We don't have numbers on our dials so we have to carefully adjust for just the right medium-low. That's what you want for these eggs, medium-low to low. You might even have to toggle back and forth to find just the right heat. But better too low than too high. High heat will make for dryer, tougher proteins and lower heat will make for a super soft custardy scramble. Know that and adjust as need be/to your preferences. And for goodness sake, use a non-stick skillet!
4. We use butter for these eggs, you should too. You could use oil, but butter's moisture helps keep these eggs luscious. Plus it tastes good because it's butter, duh.
5. We wanted soft wide folds that you could sink a fork into. For that, use a heat-safe spatula and the right size skillet (we like a 10-inch non-stick for 4 eggs). Once it's melted, add your very well-beaten eggs and let them sit for just a second. This whole process takes about a minute and a half, so a second counts.
6. Use your spatula to push the eggs from one side of the skillet to the other. Push, push, push, in 3 or 4 motions across, then sweep the spatula all the way around the edge of the skillet to create long egg waves.
Continue to do this, tilting the skillet if necessary to spread any uncooked egg over the surface of it, until the eggs are mostly set but seem undercooked (they'll keep cooking between skillet and plate). This shouldn't take longer than 2 minutes if you're using the right heat.
Don't forget to prepare for dismount. Get your plates and forks ready as these eggs will continue to set up as they rest. You may want to hit your eggs with a little more salt and pepper once they're plated or try one of our savory suggestions we have going on below:
Feta and Za’atar
Stir 2 Tbsp. crumbled feta and ¼ tsp. za'atar into eggs halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more za'atar just before serving.
Parmesan and Basil
Stir 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil into eggs halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and more basil just before serving.
Soy and Scallion
Add ½ tsp. soy sauce to eggs before whipping. Stir 2 trimmed, thinly sliced scallions into eggs halfway through cooking. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt just before serving.
Cream Cheese and Chives
Stir 1 Tbsp. cream cheese and 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives into eggs halfway through cooking. Top with flaky sea salt and more chives just before serving.
Hot Cheddar
Stir 2 Tbsp. grated cheddar into eggs halfway through cooking. Top with flaky sea salt and hot sauce just before serving.