Scrambled Eggs, Rothschild

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Sturdy 5-inch mortar and pestle
• •Kitchen shears
• •Very fine-mesh sieve and flexible bowl scraper
• •2-quart heavy saucepan
• •Flat-ended wooden spoon or silicone spatula
• •Truffle slicer or very sharp paring knife
• •1-quart timbale or deep serving bowl
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Reserve tails and shells

   Take the six crayfish cooked in Mirepoix (No. 228). Twist off and peel the tails, remove each dark intestinal thread, and cover the tails so they remain supple. Remove the feathery gills and any gritty stomach sac from the heads, then reserve the clean shells, claws, head shells, and any coral. These remains carry the flavour that distinguishes Rothschild from eggs merely decorated with shellfish.

2. 2

   Prepare the crown

   Bring the water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a lively simmer. Blanch the asparagus tips for 1 to 2 minutes, just until vivid green and tender at the cut end, then lift them onto a clean towel and dry them well. Keep the asparagus and crayfish tails covered in a warm place, never over direct heat, and slice the truffle as broadly and thinly as possible. Have every piece ready before the eggs begin, because œufs brouillés wait for nobody.

3. 3

   Pound the shell cream

   Snip the reserved shells into small pieces with sturdy kitchen shears. Pound them in a mortar until very fine, then add the cold cream a teaspoon at a time, pounding thoroughly after each addition until the mixture becomes a thick coral paste. Rub the paste firmly through a very fine sieve, scraping the smooth cream from its underside; pass it through a second time if you feel any grit. A shell fragment on the tongue ruins all the saucier’s work, so accept nothing but silk.

4. 4

   Combine eggs and cream

   Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork just until yolks and whites are completely united, without whipping in a cap of air. Stir in all the sieved crème d’écrevisses, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the white pepper. Set a warmed 1-quart timbale or deep serving bowl beside the stove with the asparagus, tails, and truffle within reach.

5. 5

   Scramble over gentle heat

   Melt the butter in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat without letting it colour. Add the egg mixture and stir continuously with a flat-ended wooden spoon or flexible spatula, sweeping the floor, sides, and corners so no layer sets unnoticed. After 6 to 8 minutes, the eggs should form very small tender curds suspended in a glossy cream and flow slowly from the spoon. If they begin setting in firm sheets at the edge, lift the pan from the heat and stir briskly until the mixture relaxes, then return it only when the pan has calmed. Ça se rattrape while the centre remains loose; once the eggs are dry, no spoonful of cream can give them back their tenderness.

6. 6

   Build the Rothschild crown

   Remove the eggs while they are still slightly looser than you intend to serve them, about 158 to 160°F (70 to 71°C), and spoon them immediately into the warmed timbale. Lay the asparagus tips in a neat bundle at the centre. Arrange the six crayfish tails in a circle around them, then overlap the broad truffle slices in a dark outer crown. Carry the dish straight to the table while the eggs still gleam. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Whole shell-on crayfish are essential because the shells make the crème d’écrevisses. Peeled tails supply the garnish but leave the eggs without their foundation. Properly frozen raw crayfish are an honest answer when fresh ones are unavailable; thaw them in the cold, then cook them in the prescribed Mirepoix.
• •The shell cream may already carry salt from the crayfish cooking base. Taste a trace before seasoning the eggs, and reduce the final ¼ teaspoon of salt if necessary. Technique first, always.
• •Fresh black truffle gives the broad dark slices and full woodland perfume the dish expects. Out of season, a whole preserved black truffle is the classical pantry’s answer; drain it, dry it, and accept that its aroma will be quieter. Truffle oil cannot provide the texture or balance of the original garnish.
• •Warm the serving vessel and remove the chill from the garnishes before scrambling. Cold porcelain, cold asparagus, and cold tails steal the short window in which these eggs are at their best.
• •Serve Rothschild as a small first course with brut Champagne or a firm white Burgundy. Both have enough acidity for the cream and enough restraint to leave the crayfish and truffle in command.

Advance Preparation

• •Cook and cool the crayfish in Mirepoix (No. 228) up to one day ahead. Refrigerate them promptly in a covered container and separate the tails and shells only when preparing the dish.
• •The crème d’écrevisses may be pounded, sieved, covered, and chilled up to 4 hours ahead. Keep the peeled tails separately covered so they do not dry.
• •Blanch the asparagus up to 2 hours ahead, dry it thoroughly, and refrigerate it covered. Remove the tails and asparagus from the cold about 20 minutes before service.
• •Slice the truffle and beat the eggs only when the serving bowl is warm and the guests are seated. The finished œufs brouillés cannot be held or reheated without losing the texture that defines them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 125g)