Scrambled eggs can be elevated by adding a single ingredient and ditching the frying pan, according to a top chef. A breakfast and brunch staple, the dish is loved for its taste, simplicity and ease of preparation.
The chef's recommended method
The traditional method involves cooking the eggs in butter before adding flavourings of your choice. Chef Mike Reid recommends stirring in a spoonful of crème fraîche at the end to give the eggs a silky texture. He also advises using a saucepan instead of a frying pan for a softer, creamier result.
Mike said: "Start with the best eggs you can buy and good butter. A frying pan works, but a small heavy-based saucepan is better because it gives a gentler, more even heat and softer, creamier curds", reports the Express.
Key cooking tips
"Cook low and slow, stir constantly, and take the eggs off the heat when they still look slightly underdone, as they'll keep cooking," he added. "Finish with a spoon of crème fraîche or a knob of cold butter to stop the cooking and make them silky."
For those not keen on this addition, Mike suggests that straightforward seasoning can be equally effective. He highlighted chilli, garlic and onion as the three ingredients he considers most transformative for the majority of dishes.
What to avoid
One thing he firmly cautions against when preparing eggs is adding milk. "You're diluting the egg, you're taking away the flavour. It's like adding water," he shared.
Mike champions a "less is more" approach, maintaining that butter is the only truly essential addition. "Just butter and eggs is all you need for scrambled eggs," he added. "If you want to be super healthy or healthier, [use] olive oil. You need a fat to cook it, and then just the eggs. Just lots of air in there."
Serving suggestions and storage debate
Eggs are commonly enjoyed with toast and avocado, or as part of a full English breakfast. For a more substantial meal, Mike suggests pairing them with sirloin steak, chimichurri and crispy prawn chilli oil. "It's super simple and fresh to recharge me and fuel me for the rest of the day," he said.
Mike is also among four chefs who recently debated the best place to store eggs. In his view, they "100 per cent" belong in the cupboard, emphasising that refrigeration can negatively impact their flavour.
"Eggs are basically tiny sponges. Park them in the fridge and they'll happily soak up last night's curry. Nobody asked for garlic custard. So, cupboard, cool, out of direct sunlight, pointy end down. Done," he said.
His fellow chefs Nima Safaei and Mimi Morley firmly favoured keeping eggs in the fridge, while Jeremy Pang suggested both approaches have merits. Mike and Jeremy co-host their podcast, The Two Hungry Chefs - The A-Z of Food, available to stream on podcast platforms and YouTube.
