RCP: Scrambled eggs ... with cabbage!?

[Robin Garr]

Scrambled eggs ... with cabbage!?

Don't be too quick to assume that this odd-sounding combination won't work! I ran across this recipe in Summer Tomato, a foodie blog that I enjoy, and thought the idea of quickly sauteing thin-sliced cabbage, hitting it with a shot of soy sauce, then gently scrambling fresh free-range eggs around it might be good.

Unable to leave well-enough alone, I kicked Summer Tomato's recipe up a notch or two by building in some aromatic flavors and just a touch of piquant fire to give it a cross-Asian touch that reached from India to South China.

The Summer Tomato recipe is here:
http://summertomato.com/oddly-delicious ... -and-eggs/
My changes involved scenting the oil with a smashed garlic clove (discarded after browning) before I cooked the cabbage; and adding light rations of cumin, turmeric, Madras curry powder, black pepper, sambal oelek and a dash of sesame oil to the eggs, plus 1 tablespoon water for each egg. (I used three eggs and the greater part of a medium-size cabbage to make enough for a light dinner for two, and those portions worked out about right.)

More tips: Slice the cabbage very fine, and brown it over very high heat. then, after you've stirred in the soy sauce, reduce heat to medium low and scramble the eggs gently, slowly, lifting and turning the eggs in large curds as they form up. Pull it from the heat when it's still a bit on the soft side, and carry-over heat should finish them perfectly.

We served this with dinner rolls, and it reminded me a bit of old-style Chinese-American Egg Foo Young. A green salad would have gone well with it, although I claimed there was enough cabbage in there to declare the dish green-veggie healthy without further help.

The cabbage-egg combo does sounds a little weird initially, but it actually ought to work pretty well given how you've cooked it up. Sounds delicious!

My mom used to make scrambled eggs by sauteeing onions first in butter, then drop in the eggs, scramble them a little, then add tomato sauce, S&p. We'd have it in sandwiches or eat it for breakfast. One of my favorite meals growing up.

[Robin Garr]

My mom used to make scrambled eggs by sauteeing onions first in butter, then drop in the eggs, scramble them a little, then add tomato sauce, S&p. We'd have it in sandwiches or eat it for breakfast. One of my favorite meals growing up.

Karen, that does sound like comfort food! Funny, that reminded me of my parents taking us on breakfast picnics in the park. My dad would build a charcoal fire in a grill and scramble eggs on a big iron skillet on it. I don't know that the eggs actually tasted any different, but I sure thought they did!

I've made that before without the fancy spices. Really good. I do the same thing with just about any leftover veggie too.

I also like to poach a couple of eggs on top of leftover marinara sauce that I get bubbling in a nonstick skillet with some crushed pepper flakes thrown in. Pop a lid on and cook to desired doneness.

[Robin Garr]

I also like to poach a couple of eggs on top of leftover marinara sauce that I get bubbling in a nonstick skillet with some crushed pepper flakes thrown in. Pop a lid on and cook to desired doneness.

Oh, yeah! Uova all'Inferno! (Eggs in hell, but I'll bet you already knew that.) I think it's truly an Italian peasant recipe, but somebody like Mario or Giada made it newly famous recently. I definitely like that.

I also like to poach a couple of eggs on top of leftover marinara sauce that I get bubbling in a nonstick skillet with some crushed pepper flakes thrown in. Pop a lid on and cook to desired doneness.

Oh, yeah! Uova all'Inferno! (Eggs in hell, but I'll bet you already knew that.) I think it's truly an Italian peasant recipe, but somebody like Mario or Giada made it newly famous recently. I definitely like that.

I make those too. Our eldest son has a client who makes many different pasta sauces, he bottles them with his own label and gives them to friends and family. I love his red sauce made from fresh tomatoes and lots of zucchini, onions, garlic... I poach my eggs in that sauce and we serve it over toasted sourdough. I finish with a sprinkle of fresh basil or parsley. So good! The zucchini is actually still in chunks and I like the texture is gives the sauce. Sometimes, I toss in sweet peppers from my garden, or even a whole Jalapeño or Serrano for an extra kick.

[Jenise]

The cabbage-egg combo does sounds a little weird initially, but it actually ought to work pretty well given how you've cooked it up. Sounds delicious!

It's just fried rice, in a sense, without the rice!

Sounds great to me.

Its really just egg foo yung with cabbage instead of bean sprouts, celery etc.

[Jenise]

Its really just egg foo yung with cabbage instead of bean sprouts, celery etc.

And without the gravy.

Its really just egg foo yung with cabbage instead of bean sprouts, celery etc.

And without the gravy.

I NEVER get gravy on my foo! Can't stand it. Guess that makes me a foo fighter?

The only oriental abortion worse than that gravy is the glow in the dark glutinous syrupy sweet red sauce they seem to think we dumb round eyes expect on just about anything.

[Jenise]

Glutinous sweet red sauce--oh, don't get me started. Hate that stuff.

But I would argue that gravy on foo yung is a perfect embellishment (does this make me foo foo?)--but it has to (and can be) a good sauce. That it rarely is doesn't negate the premise.