Heavenly: Scrambled eggs in a vintage double boiler

A reader in California, Gary Cawood, says he needs more information about one of the cooking tips published recently in my Sun column. “I put one of the recommendations from your article,  ‘32 things I learned about everyday cooking,’ that the Sacramento Bee published to the test by using a double boiler to scramble eggs and it didn’t go well. I am wondering if you ever published a recipe on that method of scrambling eggs. It sounded great.”

I did not previously publish a recipe for this, but will now, Gary.

Everyone: If you want fluffy, creamy scrambled eggs, you need to try the double boiler method. It takes longer than a pan scramble — so maybe not “everyday” — but well worth the time. This recipe is from my mother, the late former Rose Popolo.

I have an old aluminum Wear Ever double boiler that still does the job, though I am sure stainless steel in the upper chamber works much better. (You can rig up your own double boiler with a couple of pots of different sizes; just make sure the upper rides above the water line of the lower.)

Rose’s Double Boiler Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients

6 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup of cream or whole milk

½ cup shredded mozzarella (optional)

Or 2 tablespoons cream cheese (also optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring about two inches of water to boil in the double boiler.

In a bowl, whisk the milk and eggs, add salt and pepper. (Pepper is optional).

Reduce the heat under the boiler to low.

Put the upper chamber over the lower and melt the butter inside it.

When the butter is just about fully melted, add the egg-milk mixture.

With a wooden spoon, stir the mixture gently and frequently. Make sure you do not splash the mixture too much as it might stick to the sides of the cooking chamber. Also, make sure the heat is low. You do not want water boiling and cooking your eggs too quickly. A steady steam bath might be a better way of thinking about it.

This process might take 15 minutes.

You can add the cheese when you see the eggs starting to form into curds.

Did I mention that you should stir frequently?

The eggs are finished when you get the curd consistency you want. Immediately remove from the heat.

The scrambled eggs should be soft and creamy. You can add chive maybe. You can season the eggs any way you like.