A top chef has revealed a simple ingredient to add after cooking that ensures scrambled eggs turn out perfect. The breakfast and brunch staple is loved for its taste, simplicity and convenience, but getting the texture right can be tricky.
Chef Mike Reid suggests adding a spoonful of crème fraîche at the end to make the eggs silky. He also recommends swapping the frying pan for a saucepan to achieve a softer, creamier result.
Chef's method for silky eggs
Mike exclusively shared his dos and don'ts for the most flavoursome dish. He 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."
He added: "Cook low and slow, stir constantly, and take the eggs off the heat when they still look slightly underdone, as they'll keep cooking. Finish with a spoon of crème fraîche or a knob of cold butter to stop the cooking and make them silky."
Seasoning and what to avoid
If crème fraîche is not to your taste, Mike says simple seasoning can also work. He named chilli, garlic and onion as three ingredients that can elevate most meals. However, he believes one thing should be avoided when it comes to eggs: milk.
"You're diluting the egg, you're taking away the flavour. It's like adding water," he shared. Mike advocates a "less is more" approach, with butter being the only 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 often enjoyed with toast and avocado or as part of a full English breakfast. For a hearty meal, Mike recommends having 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 one of four chefs who recently weighed in on where eggs should be stored. He says they "100 per cent" belong in the cupboard, stressing that exposure in the fridge can affect their taste. "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 were more in favour of storing them in the fridge, while Jeremy Pang said both methods have their benefits. Mike and Jeremy host their podcast, The Two Hungry Chefs - The A-Z of Food, available on podcast platforms and YouTube.
