COOK LIKE AN eggspert

Chefs share some subtle techniques used to bring out their best

When trying to indicate a recipe is simple, some might say it’s as easy as scrambling an egg. But I say perfect scrambling isn’t so darn easy. Well, OK, it’s simple if you know a couple of basic rules. Ask a chef where home cooks generally go wrong, they will probably respond with two words.

“Too hot.”

For a moist, fluffy scramble, eggs need low heat and patience; it’s a French technique that results in irresistible scrambled eggs. No oil. Butter is essential, many chefs insisting on a low-water, unsalted butter such as Plugrá.

But if rethinking your approach to scrambled eggs sounds like a hassle, I have other egg-centric ideas that may appeal. How about a delicious sunnyside atop grilled ham and cheese? The Croque Madame is a classic French sandwich that is a fancier version of a Croque Monsieur because it is served with Mornay sauce slathered on top (béchamel sauce with added cheese). A sunny-side-up egg crowns the top.

Kale-topped toasts adorned with sunny-side-up eggs make a breakfast treat, but they also could be the centerpiece of a lunch or supper. Use Tuscan black kale (cavolo nero) or curlyedge kale. As with other leafy greens, you start out with a mountain, but it cooks down with oil and water to become a more moderate amount. Lemon juice adds a spark to the wilted greens.

CINDY YAMANAKA — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Croque Madame a la Petrie is a creation of former Pinot Provence Executive Chef Jason Petrie.