Wednesday, May 20, 2009

What's Cooking Wednesday: Chive Eggs - the Perfect Spring Lunch



Please go to The Fairy Blogmother for more What's Cooking Wednesday participants.

We have some critter problems. Oh, they're lovely critters - when you look at my backyard, bunnies and deer abound. Ground hogs stop to warm themselves in the sun. Chipmunks and squirrels scamper harmoniously, and we are fixed for lovely birdsong. Yup, we're straight out of a Disney movie.

And I love it. Don't get me wrong.

It has, however, made gardening a bit of a challenge. And yes, I know we could put up cyclone fences, electric fences, pee on bushes, hang softener sheets, and even, maybe, buy a hoop house, but we haven't. Because we also suck at gardening.

So here's what I do grow: herbs. In containers. On our balcony. Lots of them.

My first perennials that come up every spring are healthy crops of chives. So this is what I've been having for lunch quite frequently:



Chive Eggs

Sometimes simplest is best. And this is so very, very simple.

Ingredients:

1 egg and 2 egg whites (local eggs, as fresh as possible, really improves on this)
a small handful of fresh chives, chopped fine
a splash or three of buttermilk
a good pinch of kosher salt
pepper
either canola cooking spray, or if you're feeling decadent, butter

Now, there's a technique to making really good scrambled eggs. First off, add the salt before cooking the eggs. This tenderizes them, apparently. Second, beat your egg mixture well, but not too much. Third, and this is most important, cook them at medium low. My burners have multiple settings between 1 and "P" (10) and I use a 5 or 5.5. To saute, I'd use a 7, and that would be way too high for this dish. Just saying.

So, while your pan is heating (and heat your fat element from the beginning), pop in some toast. My toast of choice yesterday was local raisin pumpernickel, but in the photos, it just looked burnt, so you don't get a picture of it.

Then beat your eggs, buttermilk and salt. Then add the chives directly into the liquid eggs.

Get out your butter for buttering the toast.

Pour the eggs into the pan and render gently.

Butter your toast when it pops up.

Remove finished eggs from the pan, add them to your plate of toast, and grind a little pepper over the eggs.

Take the plate out into the spring sunshine and enjoy.

25 comments:

Luisa Perkins said...

Delish!

(I guess I'm ALWAYS feeling decadent.)

anno said...

Mmmm... just in time for breakfast! (did you think I would wait until lunch to try this?) Thanks for the tip about salting the eggs (and adding the buttermilk, too)!

A Crafty Mom said...

What a great idea - I'll have to try this!! I am hoping to start some gardening in my back yard this year, maybe just some herbs and tomatoes b/c I'm a beginner. I had big plans for a huge garden, but three kids under 5 have prevented that from happening this year :)

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

simple is best. yum. thanks for the tip about medium low.

I use a little bit of olive oil when I cook eggs now.

Charity Tahmaseb said...

Mmmm ... this sounds great. For reasons that can't be explained, my kids only like scrambled eggs when I make them. If Bob does, they turn up their noses.

Momisodes said...

This looks and sounds delicious. We are regular egg eaters here. The addition of chives sounds awesome.

Goofball said...

why do you take more egg whites? I always use full eggs. what you do do with the additional yokes?


Do you want to trait your critter problem with our snail problem?


yes I have my pots of herbs and they are doing fabously: I have lots of mint and citronella, I have chives, ruccola , rosemary, oregano and a tiny bit of sage.

Jen said...

Luisa, I'm balancing decadence these days - I really want the butter on the toast, so the spray thing works for these, because they're so flavorful.

Ben - roaches and rats were my wildlife growing up, too - and pigeons and silverfish. Much happier now. ;-)

Anno - hope you enjoyed breakfast!

Crafty - thanks for stopping by and excuse my weird e-mail - I thought you were Fairy Blogmother Shan. Tomatoes can be tricky - we keep killing ours, but those herbs sure do work. ;-)

NYC, I do that, too, but somehow with the chives, something a bit more neutral works better for me. I always use a little olive oil when I do tomatoes and eggs, basil and eggs, etc.

Charity, that's so funny - that's true in our house, too. I'm definitely the egg-maker.

Momisodes - it truly is and it's such a basic addition.

Goofball, I cut back on the egg yolks for cholesterol/calorie reasons, but you could certainly do two whole eggs, instead. You have quite a garden there! I just have chives, thyme, rosemary, mint and tarragon so far. I'm waiting for June 1 to plant a few other things.

Eleonora Baldwin said...

Simple is the best sometimes, you're right. Now it's late, way past my bedtime but I now have an untamed desire for scrambled eggs with chives, darnit.

peter said...

Nothing better. I usually use yogurt in place of buttermilk, and a dribble of truffle oil. And I have it for breakfast. But otherwise, it's exactly the same.

Jen said...

Lola...I think these might be good late night snack eggs, too.

Peter, I've done the yogurt thing - that works, too, certainly. Done sour cream, too. Haven't tried truffle oil.

Brittany | the Home Ground said...

This sounds so good. If I hadn't already eaten tonight, I'd make them right now! Maybe I'll get up early tomorrow... Thanks so much. We have a good chive plant going right now, too!

Korie said...

Sounds good! We have lavas, mint, oregano, thyme and rosemary growing out back. Fresh herbs are nice.

Jen said...

Brittany - it's such a great use of chives!

Lilac - what are lavas? It sounds like you have a good crop going.

Thistlemoon said...

LOL! Love this post, Jen! You are too funny - and I would love the Disney Movie aspects of your yard too!

Thistlemoon said...

Oh and I am going to be posting (soon) about growing container gardens - so you might want to check it out - you can grow more than herbs in containers! :)

Jen said...

Jenn - thanks for the tip - I'd definitely like to grow more. I was proud that I didn't manage to kill my herbs.

Virtualsprite said...

We have the same problem in our yard. I went with the fencing. :-)

Sounds wonderful! I can't wait to try this. I just divided my chives a few weeks ago and they're still going gangbusters!

Sai Hijara - Ferraris said...

YUM!!!

This is feasible for me to try...I'm going to make one this weekend!

Jen said...

Virtual - we may well go that route. I think I need to get my mom truly settled first.

Mariposa - glad to hear it - enjoy!

Heather said...

Those are just the prettiest and fluffiest eggs I've ever seen. A lovely spring breakfast, indeed.

Shan said...

Mmmmm looks delicious!!

Unknown said...

So glad you are back blogging - this recipe looks decadent!!

Jen said...

Heather, I have a feeling it would be healthy and wonderful for two, too!

Thanks, Shan!

City Girl - it is without really being decadent. ;-)

Michele said...

This is a great way to use up extra buttermilk and herbs! Great post!