For 25 years, I scrambled my eggs wrong.
I enjoyed scrambled eggs, I ate them often, but I never truly understood the potential beauty of a scrambled egg until I met my husband, Colin, and discovered the soft, slow scramble.
Previously, I was a wham-bam scrambler. An egg cooked on high for no longer than a minute- the resulting dry, eggy mass slid on to a piece of toast topped with cheese, and then topped with half a bottle of hot sauce. It was good! I liked it!
But then… well, it was like trying bacon or chocolate for the first time. Your life is forever changed.
It’s not that my dry eggs weren’t good in their own way… but knowing that those soft, scrambly, pillowy eggs were out there… I just couldn’t enjoy them the same way anymore.
Funny how someone can just appear in your life one day and turn everything upside down, isn’t it? 😉
A soft scramble is all about the method. In those early days of dating, Colin would google ‘Gordon Ramsay scrambled egg video’ on his first generation iPhone and play it in the kitchen while I enjoyed my coffee. I have to admit, it was pretty charming having him make such attempts to woo me with a good breakfast (even though I knew the secret- he had already totally hooked me).
I didn’t fall in love with Colin because of his scrambled eggs (or his phenomenal meatballs)… but it certainly didn’t hurt.
So, Step 1 to truly amazing eggs: low and slow cooking. Beat the eggs really, really well before setting them in the pan, so that you whip some air into them and let them get fluffy. It’s almost like cooking a risotto how low and slow you cook the eggs, stirring periodically just the same. The result is velvety and downright sexy.
Step 2: Finish with butter, because all good things end with a pat of butter (see also: Colin’s Restaurant Style Beef Tenderloin) (jeez, that guy can cook! It’s almost a shame I alpha him out of the kitchen so often…)
Finally, add in whatever flavourful magic you like to give them some personality. In this case, I love feta and dill. The feta cheese melts slightly, but still holds it’s shape, so that the salty crumbles melt on your tongue as you eat. The dill provides a perfect herbaceous foil to the feta. It’s a fresh take on a classic dish since, in my opinion, dill doesn’t happen often enough, especially at breakfast. (sorry, Gwyneth, you’re wrong)
Simple. Perfect. Good morning, indeed.
| Slow Scramble with Dill & Feta | Print |
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp butter
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
- One or two slices of good bread, toasted
- Hot sauce (optional)
- Heat a pan over med-low heat and place the first teaspoon of butter in it to melt. While the butter is melting, thoroughly whisk together your eggs until they are frothy.
- Pour the eggs into the pan and reduce the heat to low. Stir frequently (for small curds) or occasionally (for large curds), cooking for 10-15 minutes.
- Cook the eggs until they are almost at your desired doneness- some people like them a little softer, others a little firmer. I say ALMOST because the eggs will continue to cook once they are removed from the heat, so it's best to pull the plug on them a little early. So- once the eggs are almost at your desired level of cooked- remove from heat. Add in the last teaspoon of butter and stir to incorporate. Add dill, feta cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately over some good, toasted bread (lashings of hot sauce optional).
Ha! Like you I have a husband who does amazing eggs 🙂 Hm… time to get him to make me breakfast in bed again 😉
FYI, Colin’s Balls went down a treat at a family lunch last weekend. I think I need to convince my “meat must be braai’d [read: BBQed]” husband that we CAN cook steak indoors!
I got a decaf latte in bed this morning- definite brownie points won with that one 😉
So glad your man enjoyed Colin’s Balls! (I mean, who doesn’t haha). We were die hard steak-must-be-BBQ’d people as well before learning the restaurant technique. It’s so decadent and delicious! That being said, if the weather is nice… who doesn’t love sitting over a smoky grill?
I’ve seen that Gordon video! Heston does his scrambled eggs in a bain marie for super low and slow! I love the smell of dill, and may even sneak a little smoked salmon in the mix if I have it to hand… 🙂
Oh wow, that is low and slow! I love using a bain marie (also known as a hot water bath- sort of like a double boiler- for those of us who are wondering what we’re talking about) to keep my eggs warm if I can’t quiiiite time everything right with brunch. 🙂
A man who can cook a good breakfast is certainly something to hold onto! My fiance had me when he presented me with perfectly fluffy mashed potatoes (my love language food).
I need to try this slow scramble method too, and anything finished with butter has to be a good thing. Feta is a winning partner for scrambled eggs, and I can’t wait to try it paired with dill. Brinner tonight I think!
I’d totally be wooed by perfect mashies, too! What’s his secret? (unless it really is a SECRET 😉 ) My sister-in-law is a mashed potato monster, so I’m always looking to up my game in that department.
Hope you enjoyed your scramble brinner, Amy!