David Rubel's

What's For Dinner?

12/8/04

Family Brunch Scrambled Eggs

(serves an extended family of six adults and four children)

1/2 lb bacon
1 large onion, chopped
18 large eggs
1/2 c half-and-half
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbs unsalted butter
3 oz cheese, slice or diced so as to melt easily

1. Cut the bacon strips into pieces about 1/2 inch wide. (If you prefer smaller bacon pieces, slice the strips lengthwise before cutting them into pieces.) Cook them in large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the pieces are browned to your satisfaction, about 10-1 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

2. Drain all but two tablespoons of bacon fat from the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and saute the onion until dark and sweet, about 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel.

3. Whisk together thoroughly in a large bowl the eggs, half-and-half, salt, and pepper. (Make sure that all the yolks are broken up.)

4. Heat the butter in the skillet over a medium flame until the butter stops foaming. Add the eggs and cook slowly, using a wooden spoon or silicon spatula occasionally to scrape the sides. Lift and fold the cooked curds gently into the uncooked eggs.

5. When the eggs are nearly done, remove from the heat and fold in the half the bacon, onion, and cheese. (If the residual heat doesn't finish off the eggs as you are folding, return the mixture to the heat for another 30 seconds.)

6. Garnish with the remaining bacon and serve.

Tips
* If you don't have a large-enough nonstick skillet (a 12-incher works best), you can also use a large nonstick stock pot or sauce pan.

* Remember that bacon firms up a little as it cools and drains,so be careful not to overcook it.

* Resist the temptation to overscramble the eggs. Let them cook undisturbed as much as possible, but mix every minute or so that you don't end up with an omelet.

* I recommend a mildly flavored cheese, such as cheddar or American, but feel free to experiment with whatever you have around. Cream cheese also works well.

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If you have tried one of these recipes and have an improvement or tip or variation to suggest, please e-mail David at dinner@wamc.org. Also feel free to send along your own family cuisine recipes. You can even request dishes that you'd like David to present in the future.

David Rubel is president of Agincourt Press, a book production company in Chatham, New York. He spends his days writing American history, then heads home after work to cook for his wife and two young children. His most recent book is The Story of America (DK, 2002).