Weekday Vegetarian: Scrambled Eggs with Avocado, Onion and Cheddar

Photo: Kelly Rossiter

My daughter goes to university out of town, and is lucky enough to have a year-round farmers' market mere steps from her flat. It's one of the oldest markets in Ontario and many of the farmers who are there farm land that has been in their families for generations. Sometimes you can see the what responsibilites children have on the farm. In one booth we always go to if you want vegetables, then the dad serves you. If you want eggs (and we always want the eggs), the 10 year old daughter serves you.
I imagine that the chickens are this little girl's purview and I bet she is out there every morning to collect the eggs. I always hope that she gets to keep the money we pay her. Of course, it being a rural market, she isn't able to command the high prices that you pay at urban markets. She asks $2.00 for a dozen eggs, which can cost up to $7.00 in Toronto. And what eggs they are, too. I think my daughter bought six dozen from her this weekend to bring home and distribute to family.

Whenever I get a dozen of these eggs, I feel like I should do something different with them rather than the same old stuff. I found this recipe for scrambled eggs with avocado, and it just seemed like a nice recipe to try, just to dress up the eggs for a change. For once I followed the recipe exactly, with no changes or substitutions. I used four eggs as the recipe calls for and I thought it made a huge amount. We aren't huge eaters, but three of use ate breakfast, and I had enough leftover to have a scrambled eggs sandwich for breakfast this morning. I never would have thought of putting avocado into eggs, but the silkiness of it was really nice.

This recipe is from Gourmet, January, 1999.

Scrambled Eggs with Avocado, Onion and Cheddar

1 small onion
1/2 firm-ripe California avocado
4 large eggs
2/3 cup grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 2 ounces)
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Chopped fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish

1. Chop onion. Halve, pit, and peel avocado and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. In a bowl whisk together eggs and Cheddar and season with salt and pepper.

2. In a nonstick skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté onion, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are just set, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and stir in avocado. Serve eggs garnished with cilantro.

More Great Scrambled Egg Recipes
Scrambled Eggs with Stinging Nettles
Indian Style Scrambled Eggs
Scrambled Eggs with Cilantro