Mom’s Fastest, Easiest Supper

Every once in a while, my mother would send me out in the late afternoon to gather a dozen-plus eggs for supper, as we called the evening meal. I recently asked her why. Was it that we were short on cash and needed to scrape by? No, she said; she was just burned out and wanted an easy meal. That usually meant cutting up some hot dogs, cooking them in the fry pan, and then stirring in the eggs. A little salt and pepper, and the meal was ready: scrambled eggs and dogs. And a pretty good meal at that.

What happens when you reach that point when you’re just tired of preparing meals for the household? I can occasionally feel your pain.

Ingredients? It’s a tossup

Mrs. Farmboy is out to dinner with friends as I write, so I’m on my own. I don’t feel like doing a lot of prep, so I’ll follow my mother’s example. No need to go the full omelet route – too fancy – just scrambled eggs with chopped bacon. If I had a potato, I would dice it and fry it with the bacon, and then throw in the eggs, but, alas, I’ve used up all the spuds. I do have a few scallions, so I’ll chop them up and fry them with the bacon for a little extra flavor and texture. It’s essentially the same recipe as my mother’s: a one-pan meal that takes all of 10 minutes. And you can’t beat it for economy.

Turns out that it’s not an unusual approach. Spanish cooks have a recipe called migas, which literally means crumbs. It usually involves leftover breadcrumbs and sometimes crumbled pasta. A more elaborate Spanish dish calls for fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced chorizo, piquillo peppers, and shredded Manchego cheese, topped with a sprinkle of smoked paprika before serving.

Tex-Mex migas cooks use leftovers: torn tortillas, whatever cheese might be available, and vegetables not otherwise spoken for – avocados, tomatoes, peppers, scallions, scallions, and, of course, garlic and cilantro.

Classic combos

Of course, with Mexican/Southwestern cooking, you don’t have to stop there. Think huevos rancheros and chilaquiles. Other classics include quesadillas with eggs, cheese, and vegetables; burritos with beans, cheese, and scrambled eggs; tacos with eggs, tomatoes, and vegetables; and egg tostadas.

Tex-Mex isn’t the only approach. If you’re in the mood for Asian fare, try scrambled eggs with vegetables flavored with fish sauce or oyster sauce, or even scrambled egg sushi. And don’t forget egg foo yung, the Chinese omelet.

A Mediterranean/Middle East approach? How about scrambled eggs with hot peppers and shallots, flavored with cumin and topped with chopped walnuts? Or Persian style with fava beans, flavored with turmeric, dill, and garlic?

If you want to impress the household, you can always create some flash with smoked salmon or trout on your eggs, or coat them with some goat cheese sauce.

Finally, though I’m not a big fan of truffles myself, you might try scrambling the eggs over low heat with a little chicken broth so that they come out light and fluffy. When they’re cooked, whisk in some crème fraiche and butter and stir in a bit of freshly shaved black truffle or truffle oil. (Go easy; truffles are strong.) Serve draped with thin ham slices or prosciutto and a sprinkle of chives.

How about you? What’s your burnout-cooking strategy to feed the household?

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