You Can Beat the Eggs in a Pot of Boiling Water
A wise man once said, “Eggs are nature’s cooking school in a shell, a way to learn everything you need to know to be a passable home cook.” With this one (cheap, ubiquitous) food, you can learn at least five different cooking methods (frying, simmering, whipping, baking) and familiarizing yourself with fats, seasonings, and the whole concept of temperature control. (Burning eggs is a great way to learn the limits of your electrical range.)
I have cooked thousands of eggs in almost the same number of ways, but there is always more to learn and explore. Take Food52’s poached scrambled eggs for example. Until yesterday, it had never occurred to me to fry eggs in a pot of bubbling boiling water, but on several levels it makes sense.
Just like the ribbons of eggs you get in egg drop soup, scrambled eggs are tender and (obviously) moist. They are soft and uniform in texture, almost impossible to digest, and much easier to boil than the traditional whole poached egg, which requires a certain level of skill to cook. If you love poached eggs but are intimidated by the method of preparation, scrambled eggs are a much easier recipe to start with.
Shaking a few eggs in water is easy: bring a few inches of water to a boil, scramble a few eggs in a bowl (or jar), and then shake the water bath to create a whirlpool before pouring in the eggs. Cover the pan with a lid and wait 20 seconds, then drain the eggs through a sieve.
Although these eggs are beautifully cooked, they are raw and there is nothing you can do about it. If you wait until they “dry” in a sieve, you will be left with only cold and wet eggs. These eggs are not meant to be toasted because they will make your toast moist. (See that toast in the photo at the top of this blog? It got wet and I had to feed it to my dog.)
Instead of trying to spread these eggs on toast, add them to dishes where a little moisture is not a problem. In a bowl of hot, steaming rice drenched in chili oil, they are perfect. They are just as delicious in a bowl on their own, with a pat of butter or a dash of olives and plenty of salt, eaten with a spoon.
Scrambled Eggs (Slightly adapted from Food52 )
Ingredients:
- Eggs (at least two)
- Salt, a couple of large pinches per egg
- Finishing fat, such as a piece of salted butter or very good olive oil.
Take a saucepan and add about four inches of water. Bring to a low boil. While the water is heating, crack the eggs into a wire mesh sieve to remove the watery whites, then beat the eggs with the salt. I like to use a jar or Tupperware for this .
Once the water boils, stir it with a spoon to create a whirlpool. Pour in the eggs and cover the pot for 20 seconds.
Drain most of the water from the eggs (you may have to hold them back with a wooden spoon), then pour them into a sieve and stir to shake off excess water. Place a sieve on a paper towel to absorb even more excess water, then transfer the eggs to a bowl or pile of rice. Add a dollop of butter, drizzle with olive oil or some chili chips and eat right away.