I've always been suspicious of people who proudly assert that they'd just as soon eat a pill to get their nutrients, rather than mess around with actual food. To them, food should be about efficiency rather than pleasure and that's just not my bag—until recently. I've been dealing with a gut condition that makes eating—or rather digesting—pretty unpleasant, so I've been working to maximize the benefits of everything I consume. There's a pretty small group of foods on the approved list and it includes both coffee and eggs, so I figured why not mash 'em up and see what happens. That's how caffeinated eggs came to be, and I don't regret a thing.
Let's get this out of the way: They look like hell. Rise above it. This is essentially a savory-ish egg custard that swaps in coffee for the usual broth you'd find in a chawanmushi. That might sound a little spare and dire, but a generous pinch of salt and a few minutes in a steam bath transforms the two into an impossibly delicious, light, compulsively edible dish that I'm almost angry to have discovered because I can't stop thinking about it. You're getting all the protein of the eggs plus the buzz of the coffee, and it's just bizarrely appealing.
One quick note of caution: Resist the urge to use warm or hot coffee. It will start cooking the eggs instantly and you'll never quite get the dish as fluffy as it is destined to be.
Coffee Eggs
How to Make It
With a whisk or in a food processor, thoroughly whip together eggs, coffee, and salt until frothy. Pour through a mesh strainer into a bowl that can withstand a pressure cooker. Cover the top of the bowl with aluminum foil.
Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot, put a wire trivet in place, and place the bowl on the trivet. Seal the Instant Pot and press the "Steam" button. When the cycle is complete, manually release the pressure. Carefully remove the bowl and serve immediately.
