Hearty Scrambled Eggs

The Problem

When we tried to convert our usually reliable recipe for Fluffy Scrambled Eggs into a recipe for Hearty Scrambled Eggs, the recipe suddenly became unreliable. Instead of light, fluffy curds we had a heavy, waterlogged mass of rubbery eggs. The problem? The moisture added by the fillings we were using to make the recipe "hearty."

The Goal

We wanted to keep our scrambled eggs light and fluffy while adding hearty ingredients such as sausage, cheese, and vegetables.

The Solution

We had to eliminate as much of the added moisture as we could. First we sautéed vegetables before adding them to the eggs, then removed them from the pan and wiped it dry before adding the eggs. We replaced the milk called for in our original recipe with half-and-half, which has more fat and less moisture. Finally, we learned that some ingredients were more appropriate for this recipe than others. Consistently successful were drier leafy greens, crunchy vegetables, and breakfast meats. Less successful were mushrooms, which have a high water content, and ham steaks, which are often full of brine.

list of recipes

• Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus, Prosciutto, and Parmesan
• Scrambled Eggs with Bacon, Onion, and Pepper Jack Cheese
• Scrambled Eggs with Sausage, Sweet Peppers, and Cheddar
• Scrambled Eggs with Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese