Author Notes: These are the quickest and fluffiest of scrambled eggs, made with an exceedingly forgiving technique. Though this recipe serves 2, you can scale up or down freely. Depending on how you plan to dress them up, you can also salt the water to taste without threatening the integrity of your eggs — if you’re serving them minimally, with just a ribbon of olive oil and sprinkle of flaky salt, go ahead and salt the water till it tastes like the sea, as you would for boiling pasta or blanching vegetables.
Recipe adapted very slightly from the New York Times Magazine, “The Way We Eat: Which Came First?” (January 8, 2006) —Genius Recipes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
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4
large eggs
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2
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
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Fine sea salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Crack each egg into a medium-mesh sieve (or narrow-slotted spoon), letting the thin white drain away. Transfer the remaining yolk and white to a small bowl. (Note: If your eggs are very fresh, you can skip this step.) Beat the eggs vigorously with a fork or whisk for 20 seconds.
- Set a medium saucepan filled with about 4 inches of water over moderate heat. Put a strainer in the sink. When the water is at a low boil, add a few large pinches of salt, then stir in a clockwise direction to create a whirlpool. Pour the eggs into the moving water, cover the pot and count to 20.
- Turn off the heat and uncover the pot. The eggs should be floating on the surface in ribbons. While holding back the eggs with a spoon, pour off most of the water over the strainer. Gently slide the eggs into the strainer and press them lightly to expel any excess liquid. Tilt your strainer from side to side to release any trapped water (you can even drain them on paper towels, if you like).
- Scoop the eggs into bowls, drizzle with olive oil if desired and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Photo by James Ransom
If you thought there were only so many ways to make eggs, you were wrong! Behold poached scrambled eggs:
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If your eggs aren't very fresh, you'll want to strain out the thinnest part of the white.
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(That part.)
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Whisk to a count of 20, give or take.
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Meanwhile, you will have brought a big pot of water up to a boil and salted it. If you're topping your eggs with flavorful things, a light salting is fine. Otherwise, it should taste like…
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Swirl the water around to make a vortex.
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Then pour your eggs in, quick! James Ransom caught the eggs right in the middle of performing their magic trick. That thin willynilly stream is about to glom together (under the lid for 20…
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See?!
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When you strain them, try not to dump the delicate egg mass in with all the water — it won't survive the attack in one piece.
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There are your poached scrambled eggs, in all their quivery glory.
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Get a load of that shape. Body by boiling water.
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Feast-worthy scrambled eggs.
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