French Scrambled Eggs Adapted From Julia Child Recipes

Steps:

• Place eggs, salt and pepper, and liquid in a mixing bowl and beat for 20-30 seconds.
• Smear bottom and sides of pan with butter. Pour in the eggs.
• Cook over moderately low heat, stirring slowly and continuously, reaching all over bottom of pan. Nothing will seem to happen for the first 2-3 minutes. Suddenly the eggs will begin to thicken into a custard. Stir rapidly, moving pan on and off heat, until they have almost thickened to your desired consistency.
• Remove from heat immediately - the eggs will continue to cook slightly.
• As soon as they have reached the desired consistency, add the enrichment (butter or cream), which will stop the cooking. Season to taste, arrange on plates and garnish with parsley.
• Variations:.
• Aux Fines Herbes: Beat a tablespoon of minced fresh herbs such as parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon into eggs at the beginning. Sprinkle on more herbs just before serving.
• Au Fromage: Stir 4-6 T. grated Swiss cheese into eggs along with the enrichment butter at the end.
• Aux Truffes: Stir 1 or 2 diced truffles into eggs before scrambling. Sprinkle a bit of chopped truffle over eggs before serving.
• Garnishings: ham, bacon, sausages, broiled or sauteed mushrooms, kidneys, chicken livers, sauteed eggplant or zucchini, broiled tomatoes, piperade, diced sauteed potatoes, buttered peas, asparagus tips, artichoke hearts.

Steps:

• Place 1-inch of water in the bottom of a double boiler and heat until boiling, reduce the heat to very low.
• When the water is simmering, place the top of the double boiler over the water.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and heat until melted.
• Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl just until combined.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces, salt to taste and a grinding of pepper.
• Pour into the double boiler.
• Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof rubber spatula, until eggs are thickened into soft curds, 10 to 15 minutes.
• To serve, place a slice of toast on the side of each of two plates and spoon the eggs into the center.

Steps:

• Combine eggs, salt, and pepper; stir briskly with a fork until blended.
• Melt butter in a large skillet, rotating skillet to coat bottom; add egg mixture.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until eggs are firm, but still moist.
• Remove from heat; stir in cream.
• Serve immediately.