If you’ve never had greens with eggs, you are sorely missing out. The rich creaminess of the egg balanced with fresh greens and warm garlic is a true treat. Even better, it comes together in minutes and can be made with greens you’ve foraged from the garden or hedgerows.
My scrambled egg with wild garlic mustard recipe uses leaves from the garlic mustard plant (Alliaria petiolata) which is also known as jack-by-the-hedge or poor man’s mustard. It grows native in the UK and is invasive in the US – you can harvest it in either location. Read my full guide to foraging garlic mustard to learn more.
This basic recipe uses simple, in-season ingredients and is easy on your wallet too. The garlic and wholegrain mustard boost the natural flavours of the leaves. It’s an amazing way to hero your foraged ingredient.
Ingredients
Serves 1 – 10 minutes
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 spring onion
- 2 eggs
- 1 large handful of garlic mustard leaves
- Wholegrain mustard
- 1-2 slices of sourdough
- Butter
Method
- Thoroughly wash your foraged garlic mustard leaves and set aside.
- Finely chop the garlic clove and finely slice the spring onion. Add to a small saucepan with a knob of butter and cook very gently over a low heat until just coloured.
- Roughly chop the garlic mustard leaves and whisk together with the eggs and a little salt and pepper.
- Pour the eggs and leaves into the saucepan and continue to cook over a very low heat, stirring constantly.
- Toast the sourdough and butter generously, then spread a thin layer of wholegrain mustard over the butter.
- Top with the eggs and greens, serve immediately.
Helpful Tips for Making Scrambled Egg with Foraged Greens
Why Add the Greens with the Eggs?
Many greens and eggs on toast recipes wilt the leaves in the frying pan before adding the eggs. But there’s a very good reason you shouldn’t do that with garlic mustard leaves: exposure to heat kills the flavour. The longer they’re in the saucepan, the more flavour you lose.
Substituting Greens
Any light leafy green can be used for this recipe. You can directly swap garlic mustard leaves (without changing the recipe steps) for:
- Basil, parsley, coriander or other soft herb
- Rocket/arugula and other soft lettuce leaves without a main rib or stem
- Foraged dandelion leaves
If you want to use a leafy green that has more of a rib or tough stem (think watercress or baby spinach), then don’t whisk them into the egg. Instead, add them to the saucepan after the garlic and spring onion has coloured, cover with a lid, and let them soften for 5 minutes before adding the egg.
Mustard Recommendations
I love wholegrain mustard because it has a great peppery flavour and interesting texture. It really adds to the dish.
I’ve used an old jar of Maille that’s been in the fridge for far too long, but you can use any mustard you have. It doesn’t need to be expensive or fancy to give you a good flavour.
If you are shopping for wholegrain mustard, it’s always great to shop local and find mustard without unnecessary fillers and additives. In the UK, The Condiment Company makes a delicious wholegrain mustard in West Sussex.
Bread Choice
Thickly sliced sourdough is my preference for scrambled egg with wild garlic mustard leaves. Sourdough has a natural tang that works well with the creamy and garlicky notes, and it’s chewy thick at the crust.
You really want something with a good texture, something that has to be torn off and chewed thoughtfully, as the scrambled eggs and greens are contrastingly soft and rich.
How to Make This Recipe More Filling
The easiest way to feed more people is simply to double, triple or quadruple all the ingredients. However, there are other ways to make it more filling or push the ingredients to go further:
- Increase the number of eggs – ideal if you need more protein in your diet
- Add cheese – instantly makes this a more calorie-dense meal. Grate cheese and whisk into the eggs with the greens
- Add cold cuts – layer slices of ham, turkey or other cold cuts on top of the mustard before adding the finished eggs
Another way to transform the recipe and push it further with low-cost ingredients is to make it a frittata.
Start by frying vegetables (whatever you can grow at home – I always have a bumper courgette crop to use) with the garlic and spring onion. When softened, pour over the eggs and greens. Let the bottom set rather than scrambling, then flip over and cook the other side through. Serve with the mustard bread on the side and top with a salsa of olives, tomato and more garlic mustard leaves (if available).
