Eggs Aren’t Always Easy, But There Are Tricks To Making Them Perfect – Orange County Register

When trying to emphasize the simplicity of a recipe, some might describe it as as easy as scrambled eggs. But I say perfect scrambling isn’t that damn easy. Okay, it’s easy once you know a few basic rules. Ask any chef where home cooking generally goes wrong, and they’ll likely answer in two words.

“Too hot.”

For a moist, fluffy scrambled egg, eggs need low heat and patience; It’s a French technique that results in irresistible scrambled eggs. no oil Butter is essential, many cooks insist on an unsalted butter with a low water content like Plugrá.

But if it sounds like a hassle to rethink your approach to scrambled eggs, I have other egg-centric ideas that you might appeal to. How about a delicious sunny side on grilled ham and cheese? A sandwich called a croque madame is a classic French treat that’s a fancier version of a croque monsieur, as it’s served with mornay sauce (béchamel sauce with cheese added). An egg on the sunny side crowns the top.

Kale toasts adorned with fried eggs are a delicious breakfast treat, but they can also be the centerpiece of a delicious lunch or dinner. Use either Tuscan black cabbage (cavolo nero) or kale. As with other leafy greens, you start with a mountain, but cook it down with oil and water to become a more moderate amount. Lemon juice adds a tasty spark to the wilted greens.

Croque Madame a la Petrie

Many years ago I spent a day in the kitchen of the now closed Pinot Provence Restaurant at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel, Costa Mesa. Jason Petrie, the chef at the time, agreed to share some of his breakfast know-how with me. Petrie showed me some of his culinary magic to prepare irresistible breakfast dishes 365 days a year. He worked his magic on countless eggs a day. One of my favorites was his Croque Madame.

Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

Mornay sauce:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Salt to taste

Sandwiches:

4 slices of brioche or egg bread or challah

8 thin slices of Gruyere cheese

8 thin slices of Black Forest ham

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter, room temperature

eggs:

1 to 2 teaspoons butter

2 eggs

salad topping:

2 cups of frisee; see chef’s notes

Enough extra virgin olive oil to lightly wet the leaves

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Chef’s Notes: Frisee is a type of endive with delicate, ragged edges. If you can’t find it, substitute a mix of baby greens.

PROCEEDINGS

1. Prepare Mornay Sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk. Reduce heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes (DO NOT brown). stir in milk and salt; Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer while stirring. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese. When the cheese melts, remove from the heat and set aside.

2. Prepare sandwiches: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the brioche on a dry, clean work surface. Spread the cheese and ham slices over the brioche slices. Season with salt and pepper. Make two sandwiches by topping two slices of bread, cheese and ham with another and putting the filling sides together. Spread 2 tablespoons of butter on the outside of the sandwiches.

3. Heat a non-stick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Brown both sides of the sandwiches. Top each sandwich with mornay sauce and spread with the back of a spoon. Place in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, boil the eggs, sunny side up. Melt 1 to 2 teaspoons butter in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lift the pan off the heat and tilt the handle to sweep the butter over the surface of the pan. Reheat them and add two eggs one at a time, laying them side by side. Cook until the egg whites become opaque and firm, about 2 minutes. While cooking, occasionally loosen the sides of the eggs with a heat-resistant silicone or rubber spatula. Don’t rush it; let the eggs boil slightly. Add salt and pepper.

5. In a medium bowl, toss the frisee with just enough extra virgin olive oil to lightly coat the leaves. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Throw.

6. Place sandwiches on separate plates to assemble. Place an egg on top of each, sunny side up. Cover each with frisee mixture. Surcharge.

Breakfast toast with kale and sunny side eggs

If you prefer firmer yolks for the kale-topped toast, flip the eggs to cook them on both sides or substitute with moist French scrambled eggs or scrambled egg whites.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 (3/8 inch thick) slices of rustic whole wheat bread

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, shared use

5 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, shared use

1 large clove of garlic, chopped

6 cups Tuscan black cabbage (cavolo nero) or kale – that has been washed, patted dry, center rib removed, loosely packed, sliced ​​into 1/4-inch wide, crosswise slices

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 large eggs

Seasoning salt, to taste

PROCEEDINGS

1. Set the oven rack 8 inches below the grill element. Turn on the oven light and grill. Place bread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Grill for about 30 seconds until lightly browned. Remove from oven, flip bread and brush lightly with olive oil, using about 1/2 tablespoon. Sprinkle each toast with 1 tablespoon cheese. Back to the broiler. Keep a close eye on the toast; Grill until lightly browned, about 40 to 50 seconds.

2. Line a large plate with paper towels. Heat remaining oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, kale and water, season with salt and pepper. When the liquid boils, cover and cook until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes, tossing the mixture 2 or 3 times during cooking (common kale takes longer to cook than Tuscan kale). Remove the lid and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and toss. Place on plates lined with kitchen paper.

3. Divide the toast among 4 plates. Spray a medium non-stick skillet liberally with cooking spray. Set to medium heat. When hot, add the eggs one at a time and lay them in a single layer. Reduce the heat to low. Cook until white is set, about 2 minutes. Spread kale on 4 toasts. Using a spatula, remove each egg from the pan and place on top of the kale. Sprinkle eggs with seasoned salt and remaining cheese. Serve immediately.

Source: “50 Best Plants In The World” by Cathy Thomas (Chronicle, $29.95)

French style scrambled eggs

Chef, cookbook author, and PBS TV star Jacques Pepin detailed the steps for preparing scrambled eggs French-style in his early work, La Method (Times Books, available used). Instead of a skillet, he uses a saucepan to slowly cook the eggs, resulting in a moist, fluffy mixture.

Yield: 2 to 3 servings

INGREDIENTS

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus 1/2 tablespoon cut into chunks, shared use

salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste; see chef’s notes

1 tablespoon whipped cream

Optional set: Chopped chives

Chef’s Notes: Pepin prefers white pepper, but if you prefer black pepper, use this.

PROCEEDINGS

1. Crack the eggs in a bowl and beat with a whisk until the yolks and whites are well combined. Stir in salt and pepper.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a whisk. Be sure to move the whisk into the “corners” of the pan, where the eggs tend to set first. Once the eggs are starting to stick together but are still creamy, remove from the heat. Keep mixing; The eggs will continue to cook for a while. Fold in the cream and chunks of 1/2 tablespoon butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with chopped chives, if you like.

Source: “La Method” by Jacques Pepin (Times Books, available used)

Question about cooking? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail.com