Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [34]
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter four 5-by-1-inch gratin or crème brûlée dishes or coat them with nonstick cooking spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Pulse the basil and mint in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the garlic, 1⁄8 teaspoon of the salt, and half of the pepper and pulse to combine. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil.
Toast the baguette slices and spread each with ½ tablespoon of the goat cheese. Arrange two slices in each baking dish. Top each slice with about ¾ teaspoon of the basil-mint mixture and gently spread to cover.
Break the eggs, one at a time, into a small cup and gently pour one egg over each slice of toast. (The eggs may slip off the toast and the toast may float, but don’t worry, they will bake just fine.) Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining salt and pepper. Top each dish with 1 teaspoon of pecans.
Bake the eggs for 12 to 16 minutes or until the egg whites are set and the yolks are to your preferred doneness.
Serve immediately.
NOTES
The basil-mint mixture can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, or make a batch when the herbs are in season and freeze it for up to 6 months.
This is an easy dish to make for guests because the herb mixture can be made in advance and the bread can be toasted and spread with the cheese and pesto up to 2 hours ahead.
SERVES 4
½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices baguette (½ inch thick), cut into rounds or on a slight diagonal, depending on the shape of the baking dishes
¼ cup fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
8 eggs
4 teaspoons chopped pecans
Smoky Cheddar and Bacon Puffed Eggs
This easy brunch dish is a cross between an omelet and a soufflé. It’s baked in a shallow dish, rising like a soufflé when the eggs hit the oven. The center is filled like an omelet, with fried onions, smoky cheddar cheese, and bacon. Choose an extra-smoky bacon, to make this dish extra-special.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 6-cup shallow baking or gratin dish with nonstick cooking spray. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until brown and crisp, stirring frequently. Scoop the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel–lined plate. Keep the drippings in the pan.
Add the onion to the pan and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and golden brown, increasing the heat to medium-high toward the end of cooking if necessary to facilitate the browning. Add to the bacon.
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, milk, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl for 1 to 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Whisk in half of the green onion. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer at medium speed until firm but not stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently stir half of the whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten. Pour the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites and gently fold until blended.
Gently spoon half of the egg mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the bacon, fried onion, the remaining green onion, and half of the cheese. Gently pour the remaining egg mixture over the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. (The puffed eggs can be made to this point up to 2 hours before baking. Cover and refrigerate, adding an additional 5 minutes for the baking time, if needed.)
Bake the eggs for 10 to 15 minutes or until puffed, golden brown, and set in the center (tap to make sure they don’t wobble like liquid). Serve immediately.
SERVES 4
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, chopped (¾ cup)
1 onion, halved and sliced (1 cup)
6 eggs, separated
¼ cup milk
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1⁄3 cup sliced green onion (green part only)
¾ cup shredded smoked