FOOD NEWS
The Unexpected Pantry Ingredient That Prevents Dry Scrambled Eggs
By Elaina Friedman
Tips and tricks for restaurant-quality scrambled eggs abound, ranging from simple to complicated. In his New York Times recipe for "Extra Creamy Scrambled Eggs," J. Kenji Lopez-Alt leans into the former camp by turning to an unexpected pantry staple.
In a recent recipe featured in his New York Times column, Lopez-Alt calls for a splash of starch slurry (starch mixed with water) that yields a "tender and moist" bite. He prefers tapioca or potato starch for optimal tenderness but says cornstarch will work fine in a pinch.
The method is inspired by a recipe from Lady & Pups food blogger and Food52 contributor Mandy Lee, which assures that adding a little starch to your egg mixture helps "bind with the protein even if cooked over high heat." Lee writes, "better yet, it also creates a creamy and custardy texture with the bits of beaten eggs that aren't completely cooked through."
Lopez-Alt sets his skillet over medium-high and drops in the mixture when the pan is hot enough to dissolve a tablespoon or water, "leaving behind only a few small droplets." He lets them go for one to two minutes, agitating them when he wants "finer, softer curds" and leaving them be when he wants larger pieces.