For Bon Appetit, by Alex Delany.
At this point in your life, you’ve developed some sort of relationship with scrambled eggs. It’s a food so ubiquitous that it doesn’t need an invitation to breakfast. It just kind of shows up. And that’s never a problem. Scrambled eggs, when cooked just right, have a buttery, custardy texture that puts hotel sheet pan scrambles to shame. But even a perfect food gets tiresome after your millionth time eating it.
That’s why, from time to time, we need some fresh ideas when it comes to eggs. So we asked some professional egg scramblers (read: chefs). From Israeli-style eggs to a Thai scramble, some of our favorite chefs from across the country are here to upgrade your scramble game. Get out the non-stick pan. Grab your silicon spatula. It’s time to go to work.
Jessica Koslow, Sqirl, L.A.
“Oh man. I’m such a purist. Good eggs, whipped well before cooking, their texture is so glorious I hate to add too much to it. Maybe finishing it with a smidgen of chive and serving it with some gorgeous prosciutto from Cesare Casella. At Sqirl, we’ve also been serving scrambled eggs next to a stewy tomato mixture, as the tomatoes are just getting so good. Separate...yet...together.”
Flay's romesco and scallion scramble at NYC's Gato
Bobby Flay, Gato, New York City
"I like to do my scramble with a little bit of scallions and romesco, which is a peppery, Spanish, pesto-like sauce. I also like to run some rivers of goat cheese through the eggs with a big spoon. Those eggs are awesome. I serve something like them at Gato."
Beverly Clark, Parachute, Chicago
"My add-ins are shallot, garlic, Thai chili, cabbage, Thai oyster sauce, Thai golden seasoning, fish sauce, sugar, lime and cilantro! I like to eat that scramble with fresh jasmine rice. Sometimes, I need to eat something that is fast to make, has protein and vegetables, but packs in a lot of flavor. The combination of the Thai oyster sauce, golden seasoning, and fish sauce gives it the deep salty flavor. The chilies give heat. The garlic and shallots give a nice savory allium note, and the cabbage gives good texture."
Michael Solomonov, Zahav, Dizengoff, and Rooster Soup Co., Philadelphia
"If I'm not baking a big cast-iron of shakshuka, I'm adding chopped olives and crumbled Bulgarian feta to softly scrambled eggs. I eat my eggs with toasted challah and a good spoonful of harif, which is Yemenite hot sauce. I chop-up some cucumbers and fresh tomato drizzled with good olive oil and salt for Israeli salad, and pour myself a big cup of Turkish coffee like I'm in a cafe in Israel."
Mashama Bailey, The Grey, Savannah, GA
"I love eggs, and one of my favorite ways to eat them are soft-scrambled with a touch of cream and a bit of bacon fat. The cream keeps the eggs light and fluffy, while the bacon fat adds a porky element that is a perfect marriage of flavor."
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