Scramble at Sea

I’ve been so lax with the cookbook reviews, you guys! I haven’t been cooking much these days, and when I do it’s so flipping hot that I just wanna make (and eat, and rub my naked body all over) ice cream. (Sorry for the visuals.) Luckily I only have a few more recipes I’d like to try before reviewing Laura Dakin’s Cookin’ Up a Storm – so the finish line (the land?) is at least in sight.

Of the eighty recipes in Cookin’ Up a Storm, I was most curious to try the Southern Ocean Scramble. Mostly I wanted to see how silken tofu would perform in a tofu scramble. Depending on the add-ins (mushrooms and tomatoes can really get you into trouble), I sometimes have an issue with excess moisture in my scrambles. No one likes soggy faux eggs, okay! Silken tofu seemed like it would present a special challenge on this front.

While this scramble is a little wetter than I’m used to, overall I was pleasantly surprised with the results. It’s kind of like a cross between an egg salad and a scrambled egg – perfect for spreading on toast. On the downside, it does use a lot of oil (1/3 cup for two pounds tofu), which may be a deal breaker for some people.

I still prefer regular tofu, but this recipe’s a great alternative for when you run out. Silken tofu usually comes in shelf-stable packaging, so it’s much easier to keep some on hand for ye ole rainy days.

The Hot and Hearty Hash Browns were a little less of a success, I’m afraid. I’m almost never able to fry diced potatoes in a skillet; they always end up dry and mushy and not at all browned or crispy. I know it can be done; I watched my mom do it ~once a week FOR YEARS. I just seem incapable of mastering the skill. Or maybe it’s time to update my cookware? idk. Until then, I’ll stick to the oven (toss with olive oil and bake on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper for 30-40 minutes).

Anyway, I followed the recipe as written even though I knew it was a fool’s errand. The result wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either.

Also, the recipe calls for five potatoes; I reduced it to two and still had trouble fitting everything in my largest non-stick skillet. I don’t know how anyone without an industrial-sized stove could fry that many potatoes at once.

Next time I’ll probably bake the potatoes and fry the other goodies (red onions and spices) on the stovetop and combine before serving. More dishes but fewer tears.