Prue Leith's Go-To Scrambled Eggs Include An Unexpected Condiment

Scrambled eggs can be a very personal dish. Many chefs prefer to make this dish themselves because they are so particular about it. Prue Leith, former star of "The Great British Bake Off" is no different. In her cookbook, "Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom" Leith reveals she once argued with the famous French chef Albert Roux about how scrambled eggs should be made. She likes her eggs scrambled in seconds, saying: "The trick is to yank them off the heat and tip them onto the toast while some of the [egg] mixture is still liquid." But before Leith places her perfect scrambled eggs on her toast, she spreads some Marmite onto the bread. 

Marmite is not for the faint of heart and it is definitely worth reading a guide to using Marmite if you've never tasted this savory, tangy, and often difficult-to-describe spread. It has a very concentrated, umami flavor that is derived from the yeast extract that serves as its primary ingredient. Marmite has a gooey-like texture and not only adds a salty taste, but will cut through the rich nature of creamy scrambled eggs for a nicely balanced dish.

Is Prue Leith's method the best way to make scrambled eggs? That depends. If you aren't attached to the way you prepare scrambled eggs and want to try Leith's very British addition, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Marmite has an intense taste. A little goes a long way. So, if you are one of those people who likes to spread an inch of peanut butter onto bread to make a PB&J, you don't want to do that with Marmite.

Leith is not the only celebrity chef who likes to pair her scrambled eggs with this salty spread. Jamie Oliver adds Marmite to mushrooms and tops his scrambled eggs on toast with Marmite-coated fungi. If you like your scrambled eggs piled on top of avocado toast, you can easily adapt this Marmite practice to your morning breakfast. Simply spread a thin layer of it onto your toast before adding your mashed avocados and scrambled eggs. The salty, umami Marmite will amplify the taste of both, adding a whole new depth.