Gordon Ramsey is an internationally renowned chef who also owns various successful restaurants across the globe. The multi-Michelin starred chef is perhaps best recognized for his participation in several popular cooking TV shows such as Hell’s Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, and MasterChef US.
Over the years, Gordon has built a legacy with his amazing recipes and signature dishes. He is also ranked the 19th highest-earning celebrity in the world.
In 2020, the famous chef filmed an episode of Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted (an American Television Series featuring Gordon Ramsay) in a region known as KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. In the episode whose shooting took place outdoors in the middle of a game reserve, Gordon managed to get his hands on some ostrich eggs and decided to make himself and the gamekeeper some delicious scrambled eggs.
The video unsurprisingly went viral with many people looking forward to getting their hands on the recipe. But due to the scarcity of ostrich eggs, Gordon was able to put up an ostrich egg-inspired scrambled eggs recipe which substituted ostrich eggs with chicken eggs.
I’ve included the recipe right below but first, I would like to mention a few fun facts about Ostriches.
Fun Facts About Ostriches
You probably already know that ostriches are the largest flightless birds in the world. You are probably also aware that their eggs are currently the largest in the world. As a matter of fact, one ostrich egg is approximately over 20 times the weight of a chicken’s egg, although the weight and size may vary depending on the size of the bird.
However, there is another interesting fact you should know about ostriches.
The ostrich is the only bird in the world that has eyeballs that are bigger than its brains. Yes, that’s right! Ostrich eyes are the size of billiard balls. Each eye measures about 2 inches so they pretty much stick out on their small heads.
How about its brain? How large is it? Well, the average length and width of an ostrich are 2.3 inches and 1.7 inches respectively. It weighs 26.34g, which clearly indicates just how small it is.
Of course, the big eyes are there for a reason. They give these big birds an excellent vision which allows them to spot predators and food from afar.
However, their small brains give them a disadvantage. During encounters with predators, ostriches aren’t always very good at eluding them. Although they are pretty fast, they tend to run in circles and this unfortunately makes it easier for them to get caught.
Since we are talking about ostriches, I should probably mention something important about the Emus, the ostrich’s cousins. Like ostriches, Emus are also flightless birds that bear almost similar physical characteristics. They are the second-largest birds in the world. One interesting fact about Emus is that they cannot walk backward, just like Kangaroos. They are only able to walk forward. The reason for this is not known, although there are assumptions that their knee joints prevent backward motion.
The Ostrich Egg Inspired Scrambled Eggs Recipe by Gordon Ramsay
Now that you’ve learned a few interesting details about the ostrich, here is the ostrich egg-inspired scrambled eggs recipe as promised (using chicken eggs).
Ingredients
· 3 Chicken Eggs
· 2 Tbsps Butter
· 1 Red Chili
· 1 Green Chili
· 1 Bunch of Spring Onions
· 1 Tablespoon Crème Fraiche
Garnishes
· ½ Red Onion
· 2 Roma Tomatoes
· 1 Serrano Pepper
Instructions
1. Chop the Roma Tomatoes, Onion and Pepper and add them to a bowl. Season them with some salt and pepper and put aside
2. Chop the spring onions, green and red chili before cooking
3. Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and add the butter. Whisk the mixture and then place a nonstick pan over high heat or a grill. Pour the egg-butter mixture into the hot pan and continue stirring it while constantly removing the pan from the grill or stove to prevent them from overcooking
4. When the eggs are almost done, add the crème fraiche and season with salt. Mix thoroughly and then remove from heat
5. Put the eggs on a plate and garnish
Additional Information
Ostriches are interesting animals. A lot of people are often surprised at how big they are when they first come face to face with them. They are even more astonished after seeing their huge eggs.
If you’ve never seen an ostrich before, you can always visit your local zoo and get up close with these beautiful birds.
Also, if you live in Las Vegas or are planning to visit there just to eat at one of Gordon Ramsay’s restaurants, you can actually visit the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary where you’ll get to see ostriches.
Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary is a favorite tourist hotspot in Las Vegas. Here, you get to see a good number of animals including ostriches, peacocks, turkey, goats, donkeys, swans, parrots, tortoises, and many more. The sanctuary is home to over 500 exotic birds and animals so this is one place you surely don’t want to miss out on during your visit.
You’ll probably even get a chance to see ostrich eggs!
Frequently Asked Questions About Ostrich Eggs (FAQs)
1. Do Ostrich Eggs Taste Good?
Ostrich eggs are sweet, fatty, and buttery. They taste almost similar to chicken eggs, although their flavor is more intense.
When cooking though, you may notice that the egg is a little bit more gelatinous compared to a chicken egg. The egg white tends to be more sticky and rubbery compared to whites from chicken eggs.
2. Are Ostrich Eggs Healthy?
Yes, ostrich eggs are very healthy to eat. They are packed with high-quality protein as well as vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron. They are also high in calories and contain at least 100g of fat. So if you’re trying to lose weight, you might want to reduce your intake.
Wrapping It Up
Gordon Ramsay cooking a scrambled ostrich egg got a lot of people interested in these rare eggs as well as the bird itself. Hopefully, this article has provided you with all the information you needed plus an amazing recipe you can try out. Enjoy!