Baked Eggs With Tomatoes, Herbs And Cream

Baking eggs in individual ramekins along with a little butter and cream is a classic French dish. Sometimes vegetables, such as the tomatoes here, are a bed for the eggs. Cooked spinach, chard or kale, or sautéed mushrooms or leeks would make delicious substitutions. For another variation, incorporate chopped ham into the vegetables.


Ingredients:

2 tsp. unsalted butter, plus more for ramekins

2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

4 eggs

4 tsp. heavy cream

4 tsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously butter four 1/2-cup ramekins.

In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, basil, parsley, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/2 tsp. of the pepper. Divide evenly among the prepared ramekins. Cut the 2 tsp. butter into small pieces and divide among the ramekins, sprinkling the pieces evenly over the tomato mixture. Break an egg into each ramekin. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper, dividing evenly. Drizzle each egg with 1 tsp. of the cream. Arrange the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake until the egg whites are opaque and the yolks have firm edges and are soft in the center, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each serving with 1 tsp. of the cheese. Serve immediately. Serves 4.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Breakfast and Brunch, by Georgeanne Brennan (Oxmoor House, 2007).