I had a Dream

I was in a scrambled egg competition, alongside a number of chefs. Don't know why I was in it but I was. I felt that although I was not usually a competitive cook the recipe should hold its own if I did it right. You had to cook them in advance. They turned out ok. I left them in the copper bottomed frying pan and went upstairs as the judges and other competitors arrived at my house and started to congregate in the living room [don't know why that was happening but it seemed normal]. My sister and I sat in my bathroom watching the new flat screen TV I had installed in the wall above the bath. Eventually I dressed and went to face the judges...

I make scrambled eggs based on a cholesterol heavy recipe from my Dad's New York friend Randall which was included in a handwritten book of recipes he gave my parents for Christmas 1972. Herefollows the recipe.

SCRAMBLED EGGS
Truly good scrambled eggs are a subtle triumph of which any cook should be proud. They achieve a certain elegance when cooked at the table for a Sunday night supper with friends of refined palates. You should not attempt to cook more than 8 eggs at a time.

For each 2 eggs:
1 and a half tbsp butter (rather more if you can bring yourself to it; don't skimp)
salt to taste
2 tbsp heavy cream [double to us]

Beat the eggs very lightly until they are just blended. Overbeating will make them runny. Add salt. Melt the butter over lowest heat in a skillet or chafing dish. Pour in the eggs and turn them very slowly with a wooden spatula. Continue turning for at least 10 to 20 minutes (depending on the number you are cooking). When they are almost set, pour in the cream and stir through the mixture. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for a minute or two, until they have reached a uniformly soft, creamy consistency. They should not be hard and lumpy. If you wish, you might add a little grated cheese along with the cream. I like to serve the eggs with ratatouille.


Personally I find I can't bring myself to add either the amount of butter or cream to the eggs and so usually do something much quicker, cooking the eggs in bit of butter, and loosening the almost set eggs with a dash of milk (or yoghurt - as my sister does). And I always put grated cheese in them. My way is by no means as creamy and elegant as the original recipe intended but it results in far superior scrambled eggs to those hard and lumpy examples usually on offer in cafs.