I like to get a running start, so I often don’t get around to having breakfast until a few hours after I get to work. There’s no stove at AURAS Design, so making eggs has always been a challenge. But I love eggs for breakfast, so I wanted to make the best scrambled and poached eggs that I could using what I had—a microwave oven. After trying lots of timings and ingredient variations, I finally found the right combinations that make great eggs—and they might even be better than using a stove.
A microwave works by vibrating molecules to heat them; it is easy to see that eggs should cook well. They are mostly water and respond well to being in a water bath. It’s even possible to cook eggs in the microwave without scrambling or adding water. The only danger is that the yolk, which is contained in a thin membrane, can explode, sending the goop all over the interior. The simple solution is to prick the yolk with the tip of a sharp knife to break the membrane. Putting a light cover over the eggs (like a plastic lid of a take-out container) might avoid a mess and also contains the steam the eggs generate.
Scrambled
First, crack two eggs in a 1-cup glass measuring cup, or even a heat-proof glass teacup. Sprinkle with salt and add a heaping tablespoon of sour cream. That’s it. Stir vigorously with a fork, or better yet with a small frothing whisk, until completely combined.
Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture with a fork to combine the partially cooked curds back into the mixture. Repeat every 15 seconds for 30 to 60 seconds until the mixture resembles a glossy slurry and is still a bit uncooked. Remove them from the microwave and give them a light stir. Wait one more minute without disturbing the eggs. They’ll continue to cook until done.
Cooked properly, these closely resemble eggs scrambled slowly over a double boiler but take much less effort.
Just like any other method, there are pitfalls. Every microwave is different so the amount of time will vary. Just like any other technique, if the eggs are overcooked they will shed water and become tough. The glass cup stays so hot that it is easy for it to overcook the eggs. The skill is to stop cooking them before they look done—and resist the temptation to give them one more hit in the microwave.
Plating the eggs is usually a good idea, but making them in a glass cup is just so convenient to take back to your desk. Getting the timing right so they stay warm but don’t overcook in the glass as you eat them is worth the patience and experimentation.
Poached
The age-old dilemma of getting the whites to set without overcooking the yolk is the dilemma of microwave poaching. After trying various amounts of water, cooking times, and power levels, the solution happened by accident. Having settled on a quarter cup of water in a small glass for each egg, I accidentally used hot tap water before added the egg. It sat for a minute while I was getting coffee, so when I noticed it, the warm water had heated the egg just enough to make it cook more evenly in the microwave. One minute on high was all it took to cook the white with a nice gooey yellow yolk in the center—perfect for putting on an English muffin.