Scrambling for Dinner
THESE QUICK EGG DISHES ARE GOOD ANY TIME OF DAY.
Outside the United States, eggs are for much more than breakfast, which explains the range of scrambled egg dishes we’ve found around the world. In Spain, huevos revueltos are part of the main meal of the day, made with various combinations of vegetables, seafood, or cured meats; ours come studded with plump shrimp and crisp-tender asparagus. For the Indian late-night snack anda bhurji, ample aromatics and garam masala spice eggs scrambled with chopped tomatoes and chilies. And in Turkey, where breakfast is big enough to fuel you all day, the eggs are mixed with thick yogurt, which adds richness and tang.
Velvety Turkish Scrambled Eggs With Yogurt
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Made with plenty of olive oil and a thick, salted yogurt called tuzlu, this creamyrich egg dish traditionally is served as part of a Turkish breakfast spread. The mixture is seasoned with fruity, mildly hot Aleppo pepper and paired with morning meze staples — think sesame bread, salty cheese, olives, and fresh vegetables. To ensure the eggs are as velvety as possible, beat them well with the yogurt, taking care to incorporate any streaks.
Regular yogurt doesn’t work in this recipe. Our version requires thick Greek yogurt, otherwise the mixture will curdle.
The recipe can easily be halved and cooked in a 10inch nonstick skillet.
8 large eggs
½ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Aleppo pepper, to serve (optional)
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, and ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper until well combined and no yogurt streaks remain. Set aside.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over mediumhigh heat, warm the oil and butter until the butter melts. Add the egg mixture and cook, without stirring, until beginning to set at the edges, about 15 seconds. Using a silicone spatula, continuously stir, pushing the edges toward the middle as the mixture begins to set and folding the cooked egg over on itself. Cook until the curds are soft, moist, and just set but not translucent or runny, 1 to 1½ minutes. Transfer to warmed plates and serve sprinkled with Aleppo pepper (if using).
Spanish Scrambled Eggs With Shrimp and Asparagus
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Spanish huevos revueltos, or scrambled eggs, is a delicious way to put a satisfying meal on the table in less than 30 minutes. We pair shrimp and asparagus to make revuelto de espárragos y gambas. To simplify prep, purchase shrimp that already have been shelled and deveined. If you’re able to find medium (41/50 per pound) shrimp, they don’t need to be halved before cooking. Look for asparagus that are about the size of a pencil or slightly larger, but pass on thin, wiry spears, as they will end up overcooked.
Take care not to overcook the egg-asparagus mixture. The eggs should form soft, shiny, moist curds; they shouldn’t be rubbery and dry. Also, before adding the cooked shrimp to the eggs, make
sure to pour off and discard the accumulated juices, otherwise they will turn the dish wet and soggy.
Serve with toasted bread.
8 large eggs
Kosher salt and ground
black pepper
12 ounces jumbo (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled (tails removed), deveined, halved crosswise, and patted dry
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 8 ounces asparagus (see headnote), trimmed and cut into
1-inch pieces
2 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more to serve
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.
Season the shrimp with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil until barely smoking. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook without stirring until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, then add the vinegar and stir until it has reduced and the shrimp are opaque throughout, another 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
In the same skillet set over medium-high, warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until it shimmers. Add the asparagus and a pinch of salt, then cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium and pour the eggs into the center of the skillet. Cook, using a silicone spatula to stir continuously, pushing the egg mixture toward the middle as the edges begin to set, until the eggs are shiny and softly set, about 2 minutes; the curds should not be runny.
Remove the pan from the heat. Pour off and discard the accumulated shrimp juices, then add the shrimp and paprika to the skillet. Fold until the shrimp are evenly distributed, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with additional paprika and the parsley.
Indian-Style Scrambled Eggs With Tomatoes and Chilies
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The Indian dish called anda bhurji consists of eggs scrambled with spices and aromatics. We include fresh green chilies — for a milder version, remove the seeds before chopping — and tomatoes, and also mix in some garam masala for warm, subtly sweet spiciness. Ghee, a type of clarified butter with rich, nutty notes, adds to the flavor of the eggs, but neutral oil works, too.
Be sure to seed the tomatoes or their moisture will make the eggs too wet. And, a nonstick skillet is needed to keep the eggs from sticking to the surface.
In India, bhurji often is sold by street vendors as a late-night snack, piled on a piece of warm naan or rolled in a paratha, but these eggs are good any time of day.
8 large eggs
2 tablespoons ghee or neutral oil ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded (optional), and thinly sliced crosswise
2 ripe medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon garam masala Kosher salt and ground black pepper Chopped fresh cilantro, to serve
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well combined; set aside.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat, warm the ghee until it is barely smoking. Add the onion and ginger, then cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the jalapeño(s), tomatoes, garam masala, and ¼ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour the eggs into the center of the pan. Using a silicone spatula, continuously stir the eggs, pushing them toward the middle as they begin to set at the edges and folding the cooked egg onto itself. Cook until just set, 45 to 60 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with cilantro.