Recipe: Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Additions

Fluffy Scrambled Eggs with Additions
rec.food.cooking/Kate (katebe)/2003

I don't *love* plain scrambled eggs but I do like them tremendously. I prefer them scrambled with other ingredients that add flavor. This could include any one or more of the following ingredients but not usually more than two additions: caramelized onions, feta cheese, saut ed wild mushrooms, Tabasco sauce, freshly grated reggiano parmeggiano, saut ed chopped salami, saut ed red bell pepper, steamed, peeled and minced bell peppers (yellow orange or red), herbs de provence, minced fresh herbs, goat cheese, cream, tinned foie gras with truffles, pork rillettes, hot salsa, grated chihuahua cheese, fried and drained chorizo, a host of grated French cheeses at their peak. pitted chopped salt or oil cured black olives and/or anything else that strikes your fancy.

I digress ;-) For plain or unadorned scrambled eggs the best way to make them fluffy is to use *really* fresh eggs, but good luck finding them in the U.S.A.! Most likely you will find *relatively* fresh eggs unless you have access to farmhouse eggs where you will know when they were laid. Why is this of any moment? Having grown up in a farming community I have learned that you can't treat "really fresh" versus "relatively fresh" eggs the same way.

Where I grew up scrambled eggs were cooked on low heat after being whisked with a bit of cream or whole milk, salt and pepper and cooked in butter. These eggs were *really fresh* eggs and they took well to this.

"Relatively fresh" eggs require a different treatment IMHO. You need to use fresh, sweet (unsalted) butter and about 1 tsp of cold water (make sure that it is good tasting or, if necessary, bottled water because, at least in the U.S.A the quality of the tap water varies greatly!) per egg. This rule follows unless the egg is *very* fresh (if very fresh you can use cream without making the eggs taste, paradoxically, watery ). Beat gently with a whisk or fork. Heat heavy bottomed skillet over medium low.

Add fat to the pan (preferably butter). Pour the egg/water or cream mixture and whisk When half way cooked add the cheese or herbs or onions or whatever. Remove eggs from skillet when they appear underdone. Season to taste. Wait a minute or two then serve.