Eggs Over-Medium in Cast Iron

April 11th, 2018. Jess would have been twenty-three. I lit the candle at five-thirty in the afternoon, after Patty had gone out and Steve was in the garage, and I had the kitchen to myself. I made the eggs over-medium, the way she made them, in butter in the cast iron Kristin gave me. The cast iron holds heat better than the dorm skillet did — the whites set perfectly, the yolk stayed runny. I put them on toast and ate them at the kitchen table with a lot of salt.

I talked to her. I talk to her on April 11th and September 14th, out loud, in whatever space I am in. Today I was in Patty's kitchen with the candle going and I told her about the job, the apartment in Pilsen, the kids I have not met yet who are going to be mine in August. I said: you would have had something to say about all of this and I miss knowing what it would be. I said: I made the eggs right this time. You would have approved of the cast iron.

Went to Nar-Anon in the evening. Saw Pat. He asked how I was and I said "It's her birthday" and he said "I know. How's the teaching going?" We talked about the job and the kids and the forty-dollar budget. He has a son who went into education. He said "Teachers are doing God's work on Denny's wages." I laughed for the first time all day.

Drove home and made a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table until Patty got home. When she came in she saw the candle and the tea and she put her hand on the top of my head the way she used to when I was seven years old and said nothing. She made us both soup from a can. We ate it together at the table. Jess would have liked Patty a lot. I think Patty would have liked her back.

This is the recipe, or the closest I can put it into words. Two eggs, butter, cast iron, toast, a lot of salt. It’s not complicated. The cast iron is what makes the difference—it holds steady heat the way nothing else does, and you get whites that set evenly without having to chase them around the pan. I make it on April 11th and sometimes on other days too, and every time, I try to get the yolk exactly right. I think I finally have.

Prep Time: 2 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 7 minutes | Servings: 1

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Flaky salt or kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste (optional)
2 slices sturdy bread, toasted

Instructions

Heat the skillet. Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Cast iron needs time to heat evenly—don’t rush this step.
Melt the butter. Add the butter and let it melt completely, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan. The butter should foam gently but not brown.
Crack the eggs. Crack both eggs into the skillet, spacing them apart. Let them cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, until the whites are mostly set on the bottom and the edges just begin to turn opaque.
Flip carefully. Using a thin spatula, slide it fully under each egg and flip gently. Cook for 30 to 45 seconds on the second side—just long enough to set a thin layer over the yolk while keeping the center runny.
Serve immediately. Slide the eggs onto the toast. Season generously with salt and pepper if you like. Eat at the table.

Nutrition (per serving)

Eggs Over-Medium in Cast Iron — The Way She Made Them