The first time I laid my eyes on the real-deal French scrambled eggs, the soupey yellow mixture didn’t interest me one bit, no matter that I was eating breakfast at LaDuree, one of the best cafes in Paris. I’m not a big fan of eggs in general unless my man makes them – I’m spoiled with the best ingredients & technique, so I’m very picky. Anyhow, a few weeks later back in New York, my cooking class at ICE had a recipe for French scrambled eggs that we had to make that day. Well, I decided to kill two birds with one stone: learn how to cook eggs slow, and finally taste what the fuss is all about. So, I volunteered for the challenge, and was left more than pleasantly surprised – most of the class agreed that mine was the best dish of the day!
French scrambled eggs are prepared very different to the American standard: they are steamed and scrambled in a dish over simmering water, never directly in the pan over the stovetop. This allows for a slower cooking time, and therefore much more delicate texture. The mistake most of us make is to overcook our scrambled eggs, omelets, and frittatas. They should always be prepared over the lowest heat – to make them silky and delicate, not gummy and well-done.
I redeemed myself at home by making French scrambled eggs for my man, who, a few weeks before was assaulted by my rubbery omelette/frittata thing. He still raves about it, and I am excited to make it for my in-laws next week!
Oeufs Brouillés / French Scrambled Eggs
Serves 2, Time 15 minutes
Ingredients:
8 eggs
2 tsp butter
2 tbsp creme fraiche
3 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
salt and pepper to taste
optional: red or black caviar
Prepare your mise en place in advance, because you will have to be quick once you start cooking the eggs. Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer in a small pot. Place a non-reactive bowl over the pot, and add butter to melt. Using a whisk, whip up the eggs in a separate dish and pour the mixture into the non-reactive bowl (optional: use a seive to catch the egg membrane which toughens when cooked). Gently use the whisk to stir the eggs until they start to coagulate, which takes 3-5 minutes (you may increase the stove fire a little bit to speed up the process, but always keeping it below medium.) You are looking to achieve the consistency of cottage cheese – small curdles, in a still-liquid base.
When the consistency is almost achieved, take the dish off the pot and add the creme fraiche, shallots, and chives. Stir the mixture gently, adding salt & pepper to taste. At home we tend to under-season our food, so I’d say aim for 1/4 tsp peppepr and 1/2 tsp salt. Serve in small bowls rather than plates, as the eggs tend to get runny. Ramekins are a good choice. Optional: add a generous dollop of caviar for every dish.
There is very fancy way to serve the eggs in their original shell, a la Jean Georges, so feel free to try it if you are an overachiever! Using an egg shell cutter, trim the tops off the egg shells, wash and dry them. When the eggs are cooked, fill up the shells, and top them off with caviar. Voila!
