EGGS COCOTTE

Originally from Daily Mail

2 tsp virtually fat-free fromage frais
Tarragon (or chervil), chopped, to taste
smoked salmon (or ham, or bresaola), to taste
1 egg
Salt and black pepper

Put the fromage frais and a pinch of herbs into a ramekin dish.

Add smoked salmon/ham, cut into fine strips

Top with one egg, and season with salt and pepper.

Place ramekin dishes in a saucepan filled with boiling water like a bain-marie. Cover and cook for 3–5 minutes over a medium heat.

For more egg ideas, see http://www.bonappetit.com and Eggs

Oeufs en Cocotte au Saumon Fumé (Eggs Baked with Smoked Salmon)

Eggs mixed with cream are poached over a bed of smoked salmon in this simple yet elegant breakfast dish.
From Saveur SERVES 4

1½ tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
6 oz. thinly sliced smoked salmon
¾ cup heavy cream
4 eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. freshly grated horseradish or prepared horseradish, drained
2 chives, cut into 1? pieces

Heat oven to 375°.

Grease four 6-oz. ramekins with melted butter; place in a 9 x 13" baking dish lined with parchment paper. Arrange salmon along bottom and up sides of ramekins, reserving 1 slice for garnish. Pour 1 tbsp. cream and crack an egg into each ramekin; season with salt and pepper.

Place baking dish in oven and pour boiling water to come halfway up sides of ramekins; bake until whites are set and yolks are still soft, 15–17 minutes.

Whip remaining cream in a bowl until soft peaks form; fold in horseradish, salt, and pepper. Julienne remaining slice of salmon.

Transfer ramekins to serving plates; garnish with julienned salmon, a dollop of horseradish cream, and chives.

Oeufs Cocotte aux Girolles (Coddled Eggs with Chanterelles)

Frédéric Thevenet of Restaurant Aux Lyonnais uses garlic three different ways to build depth of flavor in this dish of eggs, spinach, and mushrooms gently baked in a luxurious bath of cream. From Saveur SERVES 4

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
8 oz. spinach, stemmed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
8 oz. chanterelle or cremini
mushrooms, quartered
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
1 baguette, cut on the diagonal into
3" x 1/2" slices and toasted

Make the garlic confit: heat oil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-low heat. Add 2 cloves garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender, 15–20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer garlic to a cutting board; let cool. Thinly slice garlic con?t lengthwise. (Reserve oil for another use, such as making vinaigrettes or
poaching ?sh.)

Poke remaining garlic clove with the tines of a fork; set aside. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a 12" skillet over medium heat until foamy. Add spinach and cook, stirring occasionally with fork used to poke the garlic (to per-
fume the spinach), until tender, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer spinach to center of a tea towel and wipe out skillet. Gather up ends of towel and squeeze out excess liquid; set spinach aside.

Melt remaining butter in skillet over medium heat. Add remaining garlic clove and mushrooms, season
with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add heavy cream and cook 5 minutes
more. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let mushrooms steep for 15 minutes. Discard garlic.

Heat oven to 400°. Divide the spinach and mushroom mixture between four 6-oz. ramekins. Add reserved
slices of garlic confit. Crack 1 egg into each ramekin. Transfer ramekins to a 9" x 13" baking pan and pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up the side of the ramekins.

Cover pan with aluminum foil and transfer to oven; cook until whites are set and yolks are still runny, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub pierced garlic clove over toasted baguettes slices.

To serve, arrange ramekins and toasted baguettes on 4 plates, and season eggs with salt and pepper.

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Baked Eggs with Feta

This flavorful blending of feta, eggs, and tomatoes, though appreciated in Greece, is Bulgarian in origin.
From Saveur SERVES 4

4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 ripe medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. firm feta
4 eggs
Pinch of paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Pour 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil into each of 4 small gratin dishes (or other ovenproof dishes). Divide sliced tomato between gratin dishes.

Cut feta into 8 slices and arrange 2 slices on top of tomatoes in each dish. Gently break an egg into each dish, season with paprika and with salt and pepper to taste, and bake until eggs set, 20–25 minutes.

Serve warm, garnished with fresh oregano leaves if desired.

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