FRENCH SCRAMBLED EGGS, ADAPTED FROM JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Place eggs, salt and pepper, and liquid in a mixing bowl and beat for 20-30 seconds.
• Smear bottom and sides of pan with butter. Pour in the eggs.
• Cook over moderately low heat, stirring slowly and continuously, reaching all over bottom of pan. Nothing will seem to happen for the first 2-3 minutes. Suddenly the eggs will begin to thicken into a custard. Stir rapidly, moving pan on and off heat, until they have almost thickened to your desired consistency.
• Remove from heat immediately - the eggs will continue to cook slightly.
• As soon as they have reached the desired consistency, add the enrichment (butter or cream), which will stop the cooking. Season to taste, arrange on plates and garnish with parsley.
• Variations:.
• Aux Fines Herbes: Beat a tablespoon of minced fresh herbs such as parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon into eggs at the beginning. Sprinkle on more herbs just before serving.
• Au Fromage: Stir 4-6 T. grated Swiss cheese into eggs along with the enrichment butter at the end.
• Aux Truffes: Stir 1 or 2 diced truffles into eggs before scrambling. Sprinkle a bit of chopped truffle over eggs before serving.
• Garnishings: ham, bacon, sausages, broiled or sauteed mushrooms, kidneys, chicken livers, sauteed eggplant or zucchini, broiled tomatoes, piperade, diced sauteed potatoes, buttered peas, asparagus tips, artichoke hearts.