Elevate your basic scramble with the help of these culinary gurus.
For anyone with a 2018 resolution dedicated to mastering their culinary skills, start where all chefs begin: scrambled eggs. From the finest kitchens to greasy spoons, every chef has a particular way they make scrambled eggs.
Port City Foodies reached out to three local chefs for their basic scrambled egg recipes and techniques.
These three egg recipes were tested in the Cape Fear Community College continuing education kitchen, with culinary instructor and chef Gwen Gulliksen and culinary assistant and student Wendy Raubenheimer. Gulliksen, who follows a vegan diet, shared her very own recipe for vegan scrambled "eggs." Of course, no eggs are actually involved in the dish, which uses silken tofu as a substitute. Home chefs will be shocked at how the silken tofu can be transformed in a saute pan with a little spinach for flavor and turmeric for color.
Gulliksen said while many people add different ingredients to their eggs to make them fluffy, just a teaspoon or so of water can make eggs extremely fluffy, like an omelette.
Chef Andrew Stanley of Waterman's Brewing Company offered up a simple yet rich scrambled egg recipe with a touch of heavy cream and some hot sauce. Chef Larry Fuller of 141 North Lounge likes his a little spicier with Spanish chorizo and bell peppers.
The chorizo is packed with smoky and spicy flavors thanks to paprika and other seasonings.
Chef Andrew Stanley's scrambled eggs
Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients
6 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon oil
pinch of salt
pinch of toasted black pepper
¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
sliced scallions (optional)
hot sauce, Texas Pete is my go to after my homemade hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
In a bowl, whisk eggs and heavy cream. In a large nonstick pan, heat oil over medium heat. Pour in egg mixture; stir in cheese. Cook and stir with a rubber spatula until eggs are thickened, but still a little runny. The eggs will continue to cook after they are taken off the heat. Season with salt and toasted black pepper. Top with scallions and hot sauce if desired.
Notes:
Toasting the black pepper gives it a nice aroma and smoky flavor.
The hot sauce and scallions can also be added to the egg and cream mixture before cooking to infuse more of the flavors during cooking.
Chef Larry Fuller's smoky and hot scramble
Ingredients
12 eggs
1/2 pound chorizo sausage
1/2 onion, diced,
1/2 red pepper diced
1/2 green pepper diced
Mexican shredded cheese
Instructions
Brown the sausage in a pan on medium to high heat and pour off grease. Throw in onion and peppers and saute on medium heat. Fold eggs into mixture and slowly move them around with spatula as they scramble. Once eggs are mostly scrambled and cooked, remove pan from heat to let them finish cooking.
Chef Gwen Gulliksen's vegan scrambled “eggs”
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1-2 cups baby spinach
12 ounces silken tofu
1 ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
salt; pepper to taste
Instructions
1. In a large non-stick saute pan, cook the baby spinach dry (without oil or water) until wilted.
2. Add the silken tofu to the spinach and scramble
3. Add turmeric and cook on medium high until the consistency of cooked scrambled eggs – about 5-10 minutes
4. Season with salt and pepper and serve with crusty bread
Reporter Ashley Morris can be reached at 910-343-2096 or Ashley.Morris@starnewsonline.com