Low-and-Slow Caboose Scramble

Served up by LANI, the Stewardess with all the world’s recipes.

Prep: 5 min · Cook: 8 min · Serves: 2

Why surfers love it: After a cold session you want something warm, soft and fast. Low heat and patience make plain eggs feel like a treat.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 2 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 tbsp sour cream or crème fraîche (optional, makes them extra creamy)
• ¼ cup grated sharp cheddar
• 1 tbsp chopped chives or green onion
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 thick slices of sourdough, toasted
• Hot sauce or a few slices of tomato

Method

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk until fully blended, with no streaks of white.
2. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. It should foam gently, not sizzle.
3. Add the eggs. Let them sit 20 seconds, then slowly push them around with a silicone spatula, making big soft folds. Keep the heat low; if it's cooking fast, lift the pan off the burner for a few seconds.
4. When the eggs are mostly set but still look a little wet (4-6 minutes), turn off the heat. Stir in the remaining butter, the sour cream and the cheddar. The heat left in the pan finishes them.
5. Season with pepper, pile onto the toast, and top with chives and hot sauce or tomato.

Tip: Take the eggs off the heat a few seconds before they look done, because they keep cooking on the plate. Food-safety note: USDA advises cooking egg dishes to 160°F. For young kids, pregnant people, older adults, or anyone immune-compromised, cook until no liquid egg remains, or use pasteurized eggs.

Where to eat it

Dad's Luncheonette, Half Moon Bay, California. A tiny lunch counter in an old train caboose on Highway 1. Chef-owner Scott Clark, formerly of Saison in San Francisco, told Inherent Bummer that surfing at Ocean Beach (and fatherhood) pushed him to leave fine dining and open it. This recipe is an original home-cook version inspired by the spot. It is not their recipe, and we have no affiliation with them. Go eat the real thing.