Julia Child's Raw Egg Trick For Creamier Scrambles

Nobody could rustle up a tasty dish like Julia Child, and her tried and tested trick for perfect scrambled eggs will change your breakfast game forever. Julia Child was one of the most famous figures of the food world. She is widely associated with impressive classic French dishes such as buff, Bah, Gagnon and cocovan, but also offered tips and techniques for making delicious daily meals from simple ingredients. Among these, she was known for her soft scrambled eggs, which rely on cooking the raw eggs in phases rather than all at once. To put a bit of the raw egg at the end to stop the cooking, yeah? Or to cream them up? Well, I like a softly scrambled egg. Everyone has their own idea of how an egg should be scrambled and cooked. For Julia Child, a perfect plate of scrambled eggs should be soft and creamy. There are different ways to achieve this texture, and some cooks prefer to do so by cooking low and slow on the stove top. Child recommended setting aside some of the raw egg mixture until just after turning off the fire beneath the pan, so the last bit is only cooked by lingering residual heat. If you want to make scrambled eggs like Julia Child, begin the process just as you normally would. Crack an egg or two into bowl, whisk them well, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Salting your eggs at the beginning rather than just before serving will help create the creamiest consistency. Adding a spritz of acid can make your scramble extra soft, too, but it’s best to avoid the dairy. Child’s version, which doesn’t include milk or cream, allows the flavor of the eggs to shine while still producing A silky texture. Place a pan on the stove top, turn the heat to low, and add some butter to the pan. Once the butter has melted, pour most of the raw eggs into the pan. Cook the eggs for three or 4 minutes, stirring the whole time. So you’re going to go slowly there with the slowly to make kind of just a broken custard. Turn off the heat when the eggs are almost cooked, then pour in the remaining raw egg, plate the scrambled eggs and serve immediately for a great breakfast. That said, while scrambled eggs are a classic main course for breakfast and brunch, there is also something delightful about serving eggs for dinner. Whatever time of day you choose, there are plenty of ways to make a full meal centered around scrambled eggs. You can take some inspiration from Julia Child’s French culinary training and enjoy your eggs with brioche croissants or other fluffy, buttery pastries, but it can also be fun to create some contrast to the creamy consistency of the eggs. Child often served hers with a side of smoked salmon, which makes for a nice salty pairing, but sausage, fried seitan or even glazed ham steaks can round out a scrambled egg meal because child scramble is so soft, try playing with texture by adding some crunchy, crispy bites to the table. Bacon is a perfect pairing, as is a good slice of toast. If you’re making a few side dishes and preparing drinks such as coffee or tea, it can be tricky getting the serving timing right. The best option is to mix the eggs and then prepare everything else before cooking them. Julia Child’s technique primarily revolves around timing and temperature, but delving into the details of her simple recipe reveals much more about the secrets to creating a spectacularly soft scramble. To begin, it’s worth noting that she didn’t crack her eggs directly into the frying pan and mix them there. Use an extra bowl to whisk the eggs first, then pour them into the pan. This not only makes it easier to reserve some raw egg to add later, but also aids in the scrambling process. Taking the time to whisk your eggs thoroughly incorporates air and blends the egg whites with yolks for a cloud like evenly golden scramble. Another pro tip from Julia Child is apparent in her ingredient list. The only dairy she recommends is the butter for greasing the pan well. It might seem logical to assume that the creamiest softest scramble would come from adding milk or heavy cream. The reality is quite the opposite. Introducing liquids to the egg mixture increases its moisture content, which can easily leave your scramble to become watery and even rubbery, if slightly overcooked. Forgo the additional dairy and allow the eggs and butter to define the dishes flavor and texture.