A Gift From God: Cheeseless Cheesy Egg

It’s a terrible time we live in right now with COVID, but the tides are turning. Vaccines are out and life is moving forward. So, why not celebrate with an affordable luxury of eggs, often referred to as “nature’s multivitamin.” It’s a wonderful meal of elegant textures and flavors.

Growing up, I remember this as one of my favorites. Called eggs rarebit by a Britsh friend of mine, I did some research to find a similar dish originates from the 18th-century out of Great Britain, but is very French in my opinion due to the way it’s made and the style in which it’s served. The creamy bechamel over hot semi-crispy buttered biscuits, topped with freshly grated hard-boiled eggs, has all the right stuff, crunch, cream, and eggs. My son, at age four, named this dish cheesy eggs because it looks like cheese, I suppose and has that creamy texture that to this day is one of his favs and why I call the dish God’s Gift as my son’s name is Matanel, meaning a gift from god.

If you have a recipe that you don’t know where it’s from, do some research, as it may reveal some mysterious link to your past. It’s fun, it’s interesting, and nothing is better than knowledge!

CHEESY EGGS

(Serves 4)

Step 1	Tools
Eggs	8

Cover the eggs in cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to below boiling point, continue cooking for 10 minutes; remove and cool the eggs in cold water to stop further cooking. But be careful not to cool them too much, or you’ll have cold eggs on the place. A great hardboiled egg usually cooks in 16 minutes from the time you put it on the fire. You will find the flavor changes if it cooks longer.

Step 2	Tools
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
All-purpose flour, unbleached	4 1/2 tablspoons

In a medium-size saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, cooking the roux enough time to slightly darken its color; roux will be frothy and drizzle off the spoon.

Chef Notes: how long the roux is cooked changes the flavor and thickness. The longer flour is browned in the butter, defines how thick the roux will be and how nutty the flavor is. This recipe is best done with a blond roux to keep the flavor mild. Meaning do not darken the roux. As soon as the butter is incorporated, begin adding the cold milk from step 3.

Step 3	Tools
Milk, cold	3-3 1/2 cups		16
Salt and pepper	to taste

Immediately, add about half the milk, salt, and pepper, whisking continually and adding the remaining milk until the roux thickens to a creamy béchamel sauce. I cook the sauce for about five minutes to eliminate the raw flour flavor from the roux.

Adjust the thickness to taste by adding more milk if needed. Gravy should be fairly thin. It will thicken as it begins to cool down.

SERVING STEPS