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!
