Scrambled Eggs with Leeks, Squash, and Herbs Serves 2
I really love the way summer squash tastes when it’s just wilted. To get that nice, crunchy texture, I avoid cutting it into thin slices. Seedy slices weep, making the eggs watery. Instead, I cut a halved squash into larger chunks. That reduces the moisture it releases and keeps the squash crisp when nestled in the creamy eggs.
6 large eggs
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chia seeds
4 tablespoons grass-fed unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1⁄4 cup thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1 small summer squash, such as zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 3⁄4-inch chunks at angles
1⁄4 teaspoon champagne vinegar
1⁄4 cup fresh curly parsley, chopped
1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped Espelette pepper or pimentón (smoked sweet paprika)
Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a fork until a little bubbly but still retaining some white streaks. Season with salt and black pepper, then fold in the chia seeds and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Let stand so the chia seeds can plump while you prepare the vegetables.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the leeks, and the squash. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and let it cook off, then add the egg mixture.
Use a silicone spatula to stir and scrape the set eggs around the edges of the pan into the wet center, then let them sit for a minute. They should start to set. Add the parsley and cilantro and fold well until the eggs are moist but not runny, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat and sprinkle with Espelette. Serve immediately.
Copyright © 2017 by Seamus Mullen with Genevieve Ko; Foreword by Frank Lipman, M.D.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
