Immersion blenders and scrambled eggs

In another post I wrote about making homemade mayonnaise, I talked about my immersion blender and how I use it every day.  Here is a picture of it:

Just kidding.  That picture was taken in the galley of a cruise ship, and it’s used by the chef to cook for hundreds of passengers.  He looks like this:    

Kidding again.  He didn't wear a goofy chef hat, and the kitchen wasn't really on fire either.  But that massive blender really was hanging on the wall like that.  It gave me profound blender envy.

So.....   my own blender is actually a Breville, and it looks like this:

And as I said, I use it every day.   For homemade mayo and salad dressings.  To puree soups.  I even make a healthy version of gravy by pureeing the pan juices from a roast with soft cooked onions to thicken (and flavor) without flour or added fat.

Most often I use it to make scrambled eggs.  I know what you’re thinking… big deal, Granny, who doesn’t know how to make scrambled eggs?   True.  True.  But let me show you how to make GOOD scrambled eggs.

First you need to know how to scramble them.  I put the raw eggs in a bowl with just a little bit of water, maybe ½ a teaspoon per egg.  And I use the immersion blender to mix them til they're just a little frothy.

Then you need to know how to prepare the pan.  Heat your pan on a medium-low setting. (I don’t know an exact temperature; the burner settings on my stove go from Low to 10.  I use 4.)  

Then toss a couple of pats of good butter into the pan to melt.  Salted or unsalted doesn’t matter, but quality does.  Use fresh, real butter.  If you use margarine or cooking spray, you are on your own.  In that case, I don’t know WHAT you are putting in your eggs.

Then you need to know how to cook them.  First sprinkle some salt over the melted butter, and then pour in your eggs.  If you like pepper, now would be the time to crack some in.  Or even a pinch of dill weed or a bit of chive if that’s how you like it.

Now let the eggs set a bit and stir them up from time to time.  You don’t want to let them sit and get browned.  You also don’t want to harass them.  It’s a balance thing.

Finally, you need to know when to quit.  You know that, in order to cook meat correctly, you have to remove it from the heat before it reaches the final desired temperature, because it continues cooking for several minutes.  Just like a burn will keep “cooking” under your skin if you don’t immediately cool it with cold water.  (You did know that, right?)

Eggs are the same way.  You need to take them off of the heat just before they are done.  You want them to be creamy, but not sloppy.  You want them to be cooked, but definitely not dry. 

If you don’t believe me, just try it my way.  I think you will be surprised how good simple, well-prepared scrambled eggs can be.

Enjoy!