Jacque Pepins' Scrambled Eggs

Jacques Pepin’s Scrambled Egg

After my success with Julia’s version, I am ready to attempt Jacques’s version of the perfect scrambled eggs. I want to refresh your memory on Jacques’s version. I am using the recipes found in the book Cooking at Home by Julia and Jacques.

Jacques’ version calls for the exact same ingredients:

·        2 or 3 large eggs

·        Salt and Freshly ground pepper

·        1 T or more unsalted butter

·        1-2 T Heavy Cream

The difference comes, however, in the equipment and the method of cooking. If you recall, Julia insists on cooking eggs on moderately low heat, in a non-stick frying pan (10 in top diameter), with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.  Jacques on the other hand, requests a 2- or 3-quart heavy saucepan and a medium wire whisk, and he insists on higher heat.

The sauce pan request is odd to me…I have never, ever seen anyone cook eggs in a sauce pan, nor with a whisk for that matter!

Pepin writes:

“The purpose of scrambling eggs in a saucepan is to produce the smallest curds possible, and to cook them quickly, before they are toughened by the heat. You need to have a pan with high sides and a small bottom surface, so you can whisk the curds, breaking them up and moving them off the bottom….The eggs must still be very soft and loose when you take the pan off the heat.”

‘Soft and loose’ ….hmmm….I seem to have a bad memory associated with that description (flashbacks of that 1^st attempt are still rather vivid and haunting).

Pepin is also specific about the state of the butter when adding the eggs. He says when the “butter foams” is when to pour the eggs into the hot pan.  He continues to say to immediately start whisking and to steadily continue throughout, breaking up any lumps and making sure to dislodge any egg that may stick to the bottom corners. This should go on for about a minute or so until the eggs are uniformly thickened but still quite soft, with very small and creamy curds.

Then remove the pan from heat, whisk in another spoon of butter and 1 or 2 tbsp of cream and quickly serve.

Ok, so I followed the recipe and had great success. The whisking was fun because it seemed a better method for breaking the up the eggs. I personally also preferred the saucepan versus the frying pan. I like this way of cooking eggs better, it was fast and easy. The result looked exactly as he wants “small and creamy curds”!

I am not used to the appearance of either Julia’s or Jacques’ eggs, I am use to a more pillow-like appearance rather than small curd-like appearance. But the taste is amazing! What a wonderful first stepping stone in the challenge! Here are some of my photos:

            Because of the higher heat the cooking process is quick! Make sure to get all your ingredients ready!

                                               Whisk up the eggs and add salt & pepper

                                           My butter has foamed, it's time to add the egg mixture

                                           Immediately start whisking, and continue throughout

                                                          Eggs are uniformily thickened, but soft.
                                         This is when I pulled off the heat and added a tablespoon
                                                                of Heavy Cream and butter!

                                                                   Small and Creamy Curds!

                                                                     Bon Appetite!

If I had to choose which egg I liked better, I did like Julia’s egg a bit better. Jacques egg was very good; in fact my cousin loved it! But, it seemed that it would go best in addition to a garnish (which actually he mentions in the cookbook). And in all fairness, I will need to try them a couple times to compare.

So, the 2^nd scrambled egg was a success! I can now cross this off the list and move on to the fried egg.

I hope you all out there give these recipes a try, if you haven’t already. I think it is always great to try new things, even if it is a different twist to an old idea.

Happy Cooking Everyone!

Day 1 Challenge Redo

I must say, I write this entry today with elation! I successfully cooked Julia's Scrambled Egg! Yes, that's right,  I did it! It tasted fantastic!

This time, I used my cast iron skillet, which I think keeps a better heat. I also turned up the heat slightly from last time. This time I used a more medium low, whereas last time I used a low-medium low.

This time around I was better prepared, and the eggs cooked a lot faster. There were like "little curds" as Julia would say.

Usually, I douse my eggs in hot sauce, but there was no need for any seasoning! The salt and pepper pinches were perfect and the creaminess was incredible. I have given myself an "A" for this challenge!  I leave you now while I bask in my triumph! Happy Eating Everyone!

Cooking Challenge Day 1: Julia Child's Scrambled Eggs

So, I've decided to take upon myself a cooking challenge. You've learned from the previous entry that the first challenge is the egg. My first task in this challenge is to learn to make a great scrambled egg. For this I found two different methods by Julia Childs and Jacques Pepin. Today I set out to attempt Childs' method.

There are no differences in ingredients between the scrambled eggs, however, the cooking techniques are slightly varied that produce distinct texture, appearance and even taste. 

Child writes, "Eggs scrambled by my method ought to resemble a soft, broken custard: lumpy, moist and glossy. You must cook the eggs very slowly, over low heat, always scraping the pan with a spatula, just until they are thickened, but still visibly soft."

The ingredients call for:

2 or 3 large eggs

Salt and pepper

1 T or more unsalted butter

Heavy cream (optional)

Using a non-stick frying pan, 10 inches top diameter; a straight-edged wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

So, following the directions from the cookbook Cooking at Home by Jacques Pepin and Julia Childs, I set out on the first challenge.  I cracked the eggs into a bowl, added in my salt and pepper and beat with a fork, just to blend. This went smooth (I have made scrambled eggs before :)

I melted a tablespoon of butter in the frying pan, enough to film the bottom and sides, and then poured in all but 2 T of the eggs. 

According to Julia, the eggs are supposed to begin to coagulate after a minute or two. Throughout this entire process she says to keep scraping the bottom clear to draw in the uncooked eggs. After another 2 minutes or so they should be almost entirely thickened into "soft, custardy lumps", at which point she says to remove from heat and fold in the reserved 2 T of eggs. Then fold in another teaspoon or two of soft butter, or a dash of cream.

I was very hesitant about reserving some of the egg and pouring it in over no heat. I am very skeptical of raw eggs, maybe because my mom would always caution about salmonella poisoning when my sister or I would eat uncooked cookie batter.

I followed the directions but it took longer than I expected. The eggs did not seem to have any fluff. However, I stayed true to the timing of how Julia described, rather than the product. I plated up the eggs after what seemed a very long time (longer than described, but yet not the consistency that seemed appropriate). However, they looked custard-like, and definitely soft. Maybe I should have used a more medium low heat, because after plating and looking at my eggs, they looked dark yellow, ugly, and gooey. The first bite was even less pleasant than the look...My cousin and roommate, Luke, came to witness the finished product, took one look and said, 'those aren't even cooked.'  I hung my head in shame! Why didn't I trust my intuition, I thought they seemed undone. How could I have messed this up so badly? This definitely was not a good start. 

Needless to say, I ate them anyway, and let me just say, the texture was ummm, well, like slime.    

Day 1: FAILURE! I should know better! I can't believe how I let this happen. I'm still not feeling the greatest after ingesting that stuff.

Going into this challenge, I had really high hopes...only to have them crash right away. I feel I've insulted the cooking Gods. I'm sure if Julia had seen how I desecrated her eggs, she would spit me a new one and tell me that maybe I should pursue a different hobby!

How am I supposed to go on from this? Was my heat too low? Did I scrape too much?

Well, tomorrow, or when I'm recovered from this and ready to try again, I will have to at least cook them through! Ugh! This challenge has started out on the wrong foot! Oh well, join me next time when I once again attempt Julia's scramble eggs.

Let's Get Started

Well, I've taken the idea from the movie "Julie & Julia" and have decided to take on a cooking challenge. At first my thought was to cook my way through an entire cookbook. But then I decided rather to setup my own bucket list of challenges.

I plant to incorporate a couple of cookbooks that are the "basis" for cooking. So I'm hoping to find a few books to help:

1. La Technique & La Method by Jacques Pepin

2. Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Childs

3. The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer

4. How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Because of the wonderful internet resources, I decided to look up some recipes so I can get started right away, while I find those books. I have used many recipes from www.allrecipes.com, which have all turned out really, really good. However, for most of my cooking challenges I plan on using books. And for my everyday cooking, I tend towards the allrecipes website more.

The first item on my bucket list is (drum roll please):    THE EGG!

My history with the egg is bleak! I know how to scramble eggs and I know how to put them in baking recipes, but that is about the extent of my knowledge. Basically, I FEAR THE EGG!

Like I mentioned before, I have scrambled many eggs. Not always by choice, mind you. Sometimes I bravely decide to try and fry an egg or worse, make an omelet, however, it all ends up scrambled and overcooked. Still edible and typically doused in hot sauce, these eggs are just not all that enjoyable. I don't think eggs like me!

The decision to start with the egg was a rather bold choice given our history together. But have you ever been the guest at a breakfast table and find yourself thinking, how could someone do this? The scrambled eggs are moist, fluffy, and delicious. How is it possible that something that seems so easy for everyone else is so hard for me? How do these people make these things so well? I mean, there are only so many ingredients that go in to these scrambled eggs. What am I doing so wrong?

Well...maybe it is time to conquer this fear.  CHALLENGED ACCEPTED: LEARNING TO COOK A PERFECT SCRAMBLED EGG!

I researched two different methods, and I didn't monkey around, I went straight to the pros: Jacques Pepin and Julia Child's. Interestingly enough I found a website from a cookbook they did together. The webpage I found displayed their different methods of cooking scrambled eggs. Both recipes call for the same ingredients:

*2-3 large eggs

*salt & pepper to taste

*1 tbsp unsalted butter

*1 tbsp heavy cream (optional)

The difference comes in the method of cooking.

Child says to use a frying pan on a moderately low heat using a spatula very slowly, always scraping the pan.

Pepin says cook quickly before they are toughened by the heat and use a saucepan. 

So today, I set out to try Julia's way.

Taking the ingredients listed above, I also used a nonstick frying pan, a straight edged wooden spoon and rubber spatula.

I then followed the directions:

Crack the eggs in a bowl,

add big pinches of salt and pepper &

beat with a fork to blend.

This part was easy! I've been doing this part for a long time now.

Over low heat, melt a T of butter, 

enough to film the bottoms and the sides

and then pour all but 2 T of eggs into the pan.

Cook the eggs over moderately low heat, stirring rather slowly and 

scraping the bottom of the pan with spatula or straight-edged wooden spoon

They will gradually coagulate after a minute or 2.

Stay Tuned for the Results!