Scrambled Eggs (To each egg used add)

A straightforward soft-scramble with onion and parsley, written when the default was a heavy iron or steel pan over gas. The method still holds; only the proportions need a second look.

• The hinge: low heat, constant scrapingThe instruction to keep the flame low and scrape the setting egg from the bottom and sides is the whole recipe. Push the curds gently every few seconds and pull the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone, since carryover heat finishes them on the plate.
• How much onionThe line "to each egg used" governs the milk; the onion and parsley read as amounts for the finished dish rather than per egg. One small onion per egg would overwhelm three or four eggs, so treat one small onion and a teaspoon of parsley as enough for a two- to four-egg batch.
• Soften the onion firstRaw minced onion dropped into eggs cooked at low heat stays crunchy and sharp. Sweat it in the pan fat for two or three minutes before the eggs go in, then add the parsley at the end so it keeps its colour.
• Milk proportionA tablespoon of milk per egg is generous by current practice and makes a looser, softer curd that can weep if overcooked. Two teaspoons per egg gives the same tenderness with less risk of watery eggs.
• "Beat till whites are broken, but no more"Underbeating leaves streaks of white and yolk that cook into a more varied, custardy scramble; whipping to a uniform yellow gives a flatter, more omelette-like result.
• Pan and fat"Hot greased frying pan" is unspecific; butter or bacon fat in a seasoned pan is the likely intent. With a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet, keep the pan warm rather than hot: heat it, add butter, and add the eggs before the butter browns.
• YieldFigure two to three eggs per person for a main breakfast serving, one to two if the eggs sit alongside toast, bacon or fruit.