Eggs – (Intentionally) Mixed Texture ‘Scrambled Eggs’

hard-boiled-eggsomelettescrambled-eggs

I'm trying to replicate a strange form of 'scrambled eggs' that I had on holiday in Austria recently, but I can't figure out how it's done.

Instead of the usual fluffy, semi-soft yellow 'clouds', all roughly the same texture, this was a mix of different textures/types: part slightly runny omelette, part firmer omelette, part hard boiled egg including the whites. I thought the omelette parts and the boiled egg parts must have been cooked separately then assembled at the end, but the finished article was all joined/melded together rather than being in separate pieces.

I've tried making the different components separately then combining, but it doesn't all come together right at the end. I've also tried poaching the eggs, then putting them in a frying pan, bursting the yolks and letting the liquid form the omelette, but again that doesn't come out right.
PS: Two points to add:

1) I had this several times while on holiday and it was always the same, so I presume it was intentional and not a 'one off' mistake by the chef.

2) I know it probably seems like more trouble than it's worth, but I really enjoyed the mix of textures rather than the usual homogenous variety, so it's not about replicating it for the challenge. I really want to keep eating this!

Does anyone have any ideas please?
Thanks in advance.

Best Answer

That's the method of scrambeled eggs I learned when I was a kid. It's extremely simple and needs a certain sloppiness to get the - in this case desired - results. No beating the eggs in a bowl, no super-diligent stirring and no milk or cream added.

Tools:
A pan, a fork or small spatula.

Ingredients:
Eggs, butter, salt, (pepper).

Method:
Heat some butter in the pan on medium heat - probably hotter, than you would for classic scrambeled eggs. Once pan is nice and hot, crack your eggs directly into the pan. Wait a moment until some of the whites have started to set - if you make four or more eggs, this will have happened already by the time you added the last one. Use your fork or spatula to loosen the bits of egg that have started to set at the edge and bottom of the pan and push them to the middle. Be gentle, do not actively "scramble" the eggs or stir too much. Continue, until the eggs are mostly done, then give them a last good stir and serve. You can also stop stirring a tad earlier, lower the heat and put a lid on the pan to finish cooking, which will give you a more omelette-like appearance as the loose lumps bind together.

That should result in streaks or strands of yolk and whites (like hard-boiled egg) in a pale yellow scrambeled base.

If you've been dilligently making smooth scrambeled eggs in the past, it may feel like "messing up", but it works.