Scrambled eggs have a publicity problem. They are taken for granted to be boring, hurried, week day morning affairs with two eggs tossed together in the pan with nothing to keep them company. Or, they are the cold slabs of congealed bland eggs we often find in buffet lines as we scan ahead for the baked goods, or (please please!) the fresh crab legs. Today I am on a mission to put the scrambled egg dish back at the center of the weekend brunch. Forget the pancakes…who wants to be standing over a hot stove flipping those little buggars all morning and then feel their heaviness in the heat of the afternoon?

Eggs are the most versatile of all foods, and they go well with almost anything, so you can really use them to highlight seasonal vegetables and herbs and to try out different spice combinations. The trick to really good scrambled eggs is to, first, use the very best fresh local eggs possible. Second, you want to cook them over low heat, patiently moving them around the pan with a spatula as they cook. The rest is all about getting creative with what you put in them. The scramble I made this morning highlighted what is available right now in our garden and locally, so lots of basil, zucchini, tomatoes, chives, spring onions, and garlic scapes. Inspired by Simon Hopkinson, I also added fried bread cubes at the end.