Some like their scrambled eggs moist and some like them rather dry. The longer they cook, the drier they become. Either way, use low heat so the texture remains soft and creamy.
Ingredients
Serves 3
Preparation
Step 1
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet or nonstick pan. Combine the eggs, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons water in a bowl. Briskly whisk, pour into the skillet, and turn the heat very low. Gently stir the egg mixture, lifting it up and over from the bottom as it thickens. Continue to stir until the desired texture is achieved. They thicken and dry out very quickly toward the end, so if you like them soft and moist, remove them from the heat a little before they reach the desired texture; they will continue to cook after being removed from the pan.
Scrambled Eggs with Ham.
Step 2
Add 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked ham to the egg mixture.
Scrambled Eggs with Cream Cheese.
Step 3
Cut 4 ounces cream cheese into small cubes and add to the eggs after they begin to thicken in the skillet.
Scrambled Eggs with Chives.
Step 4
Add 1 tablespoon chopped chives and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley to the egg mixture, and substitute 2 tablespoons cream for the water.
Scrambled Eggs with Lox.
Step 5
Fry 1/2 onion, sliced, and 2 slices lox in the butter before adding the eggs, and eliminate the salt from the mixture.
Scrambled Eggs with Chicken Livers.
Step 6
Fry two chicken livers, diced, in the butter before adding the egg mixture.
Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus.
Step 7
Add 2/3 cup crisp-cooked asparagus, in 2-inch pieces, to the eggs just after they begin to thicken in the skillet.
Scrambled Eggs with Peppers and Onions.
Step 8
Fry 1/2 red pepper, diced, and 1/4 onion, chopped, in the butter for about 5 minutes before adding the egg mixture.
Scrambled Eggs with Mushrooms.
Step 9
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet. Sauté 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms with 4 tablespoons finely chopped onion over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes. Lower the heat before adding the egg mixture.
Cooking Temperature
Step 10
No matter what the technique, it is essential to use low, gentle heat when cooking eggs: egg protein beings to thicken at only 144°F, and toughens rapidly. The only exception is omelets; there the bottom is cooked quickly over medium-high heat, but the surface remains slightly runny, making for a soft interior when folded. Serve cooked eggs on warm, not sizzling hot, plates or they will continue to cook after they are removed from the pan.
Food Safety and Eggs
Step 11
There is an ever-growing concern about the threat of salmonella, bacteria that contaminate eggs, poultry, and meat. Because we often eat eggs lightly cooked and even raw (in sauces like mayonnaise, for instance), they pose a greater threat. In trying to assess the seriousness of the problem, I have consulted government agencies — the Food and Drug Administration, the Agricultural Department, and the Centers for Disease Control — and many other food safety experts. The findings are frustrating because there seems to be no collective information as to how many eggs are infected, and how many people have been stricken with salmonella in this country, so there is no way of knowing the degree of risk one is taking when eating raw or lightly cooked eggs, which are used in many recipes. Government officials recommend that immuno-compromised patients, the very young and the elderly, all of whom are the most severely affected when stricken, should not eat raw or lightly cooked eggs. Until the problem has been licked, the rest of us are consuming eggs that have not been cooked to 165° at our own risk. Incidentally, eggs in cakes, cookies, and breads have been sufficiently cooked to be safe.
Leave a Review
Reviews (25)
Back to TopThis was so good! I made it with 2 ounces of cream cheese, 1 Tbl of shallots, and 1 Tbl of chives. Everyone loved it.
pineapplelady
Henniker, NH
1/2/2008
yummy! and my husband liked 'em too!
Anonymous
stockton,ca
11/11/2006
Absolutely the best scrambled eggs I've ever made or eaten.
Anonymous
2/18/2006
This was wonderful... Really simple, but really great. I used the cream cheese recipe, but was a little wary to use all four ounces and settled for only two. The eggs came out really moist but not runny. Excellent
Anonymous
Essex, NJ
6/22/2004
Great scrambled eggs! I made it with chives and parsley, and even used 75% egg whites with 25% whole egg. I love recipes like this that focus on technique!!
Anonymous
New York, NY
3/20/2004
we've made these eggs each weekend we've been home since finding them a couple of months ago! we vary them with the addition of onion and chopped jalapeno, onion, lox and dill, cream cheese and chopped bell peppers... YUM!
Anonymous
Somerville, MA
12/20/2003
I was looking for a nice variation to "basic" scrambled eggs. We loved the addition of cream cheese. Also, before adding the butter to the pan, I added & mixed 1 T chopped shallots and 1 T chopped chives to the butter. It gave a great flavor. I will definitely make this again
Liz
New York City
10/11/2003
I was really shocked at how fluffy and delicious these were with only water added. Lots of butter in the recipe probably didn't hurt anything....
Anonymous
St Paul, MN
10/7/2003
Some people need the basics spelled out. Thank you!
Lisa
Toronto, ON
7/18/2003
These were good..perfect scrambled eggs! not everyone knows how to make a good scrambled egg..take my husband for instance....he over cooks everything! And to me there's nothing worse..anyway with this recipe..you cannot go wrong...I like my eggs soft..but not mushy soft..so I let them cook a bit...but they were good and not dry at all..I also took another reviewers suggestion and added a few hit's of fresh nutmeg before cooking...and it was great..the nutmeg..while undetctable..lent a nice depth of flavor...I cant wait to make these for the kids..and my husband!(along with a copy of this recipe of course)...These are like what you get when you go out for breakfast somewhere ...but with much more flavor...I had mine with half an onion bagel...good breakfast :)
Anonymous
CT
3/19/2003
I've always used milk to make my eggs -- never again. I also added onions to this recipe and then wrapped in warmed whole wheat tortillas when they were cooked -- finished off with grated parmesan cheese. It was delicious!
old lover of food -- new cook
New York, NY
7/21/2001
Craig, I'm sorry it took me this long to comment on your bone-headed review.....if you're so good in the kitchen, why look up scrambled eggs to begin with?
tatiana
Richmond, VA
5/29/2001
Oh, thank goodness somebody finally wrote down a recipe on how to scramble eggs. I have searched for years for a recipe and have never found one until now. The mystery of scrambled eggs is over. My long nightmare of culinary ignorance has come to a glorious end!
Craig Walther
1/22/2001
Oh, thank goodness somebody finally wrote down a recipe on how to scramble eggs. I have searched for years for a recipe and have never found one until now. The mystery of scrambled eggs is over. My long nightmare of culinary ignorance has come to a glorious end!
Craig Walther
1/22/2001
for really yummy scrambled eggs, add a little milk,a pinch of salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. the nutmeg makes all the difference.
Kirkland, WA
1/1/2000
