Herb and Goat Cheese Scrambled Eggs
This past spring, I planted an herb garden as a first step in growing my own food in hopes of one day, becoming self-sufficient. When the herbs were small, I lovingly tended to them, but as they got bigger, it reached a point where I had to harvest a portion of them. This snowballed into a rather good problem: what to do with them? Brimming with a bounty of basil, Italian parsley, Italian oregano, and Greek oregano, I thought of making an herb scramble. With my first try, I threw together all these herbs along with thick-cut ham and pasture-raised eggs. Sadly, it wasn’t a winner to say the least. The oregano and basil are both pungent herbs and were overpowering when paired together. The ham was a lone ranger and didn’t contribute to anything. But to my delight, my second try was a home run. This time, I was selective with the herbs, pairing a stronger basil with a milder Italian parsley and adding goat cheese to the eggs to enhance its creaminess. When served with a seeded crispbread, this combination was out of this world!
Ingredients
- 3-4 eggs, try pasture-raised if you can
- 1 T. butter, I use Kerrygold’s unsalted
- 2 T. half-and-half or heavy whipping cream
- 15-20 large basil leaves*
- 2 T. packed Italian parsley leaves, stems removed
- 2 T. plain goat cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Serve with 1-2 Norwegian crispbreads from Trader Joe’s. One variety is gluten-free but still has oats.
- *Oregano can be substituted for basil, but I’d add one or the other as both are pungent. See the notes below for more tips on growing herbs.
Directions
- Step 1 First, harvest your parsley and basil if you happen to grow your own herbs. This is best done in the morning after the dew has evaporated and after the plants have had a chance to restore their essential oils and nutrients. Just be sure to water your plant if you are harvesting a significant quantity of herbs because watering promotes new growth while supplying new strength after the stress of being sheared.
- Step 2 Next, with your herbs, either fresh or store bought, remove the stems from the parsley and basil. And set them aside in a small bowl either whole or roughly chop the basil.
- Step 3 Then, crack your eggs into a separate bowl and pour in the cream. Beat your eggs until they’re fluffy and airy. And grind a few turns of fresh black pepper and salt over your eggs.
- Step 4 Now, cut off a slice of goat cheese and reserve it in a mixing bowl.
- Step 5 Then, turn your stovetop burner to medium high and heat a non-stick skillet for 1-2 minutes. Add the butter to the pan and let it melt. Next, pour in the eggs and sprinkle in the herbs. Then, keep scraping back the eggs and turning them over until they come close to being cooked. At this point, add the cheese and blend it with the eggs. Remove from heat when the eggs are cooked and serve with a seeded crispbread. Enjoy!
If you are looking for how to use up your herbs, either as a gardener or cook with some on hand, this recipe is just for you! The secret is in the goat cheese, which makes the eggs creamy, and the basil or oregano, which adds a flavorful accent and complement to the eggs.
GARDENING TIPS: BASIL
I’ve found in hotter climates, it’s wise to plant basil in a spot that doesn’t get direct afternoon sun. I’ve also found that basil is a bit finicky and doesn’t like to be overwatered. Also, a sprinkle of Sluggo keeps the earwigs away, pests that feed on basil leaves. And when the Sluggo pellets disintegrate, they provide iron and phosphate to your plants, precious nutrients. Finally, when your basil stems reach 6-8” tall and have at least four sets of leaves, they are ready for harvesting. So, pinch back the stems to ¼ – ½ inch above the first set of four groupings of leaves. And be sure to cut back no more than one third of the overall height of the plant at a time.
OREGANO
I’ve found that oregano is a fairly easy and forgiving herb to grow. It thrives in full sun when it’s 60°F- 80°F out but could benefit from some afternoon shade when temperatures reach 90°F. Typically, oregano tolerates a bit of neglect, and personally, I have had more luck letting my oregano dry out between waterings than being consistently moist. And finally, to harvest your oregano, snip two thirds down the length of each stem, just above the intersection of the sixth set of leaves. And know if life gets busy, as it often does, and your oregano ends up flowering, the only difference is that the leaves might be slightly milder. On the positive side, the flowers themselves are edible and less potent than the leaves, making a great garnish for salads or brewed for tea.