Monday, August 10, 2009

Eggs-ellent Casserole - Oeufs en Cocotte

It's time for another egg post. Those incredible edible eggs...

Eggs as a Casserole (en Cocotte), for all intensive purposes - Baked eggs, with cream (does it GET any better?)

I have done this a couple of times before, but I was feeling very much the experimentalist this morning. Mainly due to the fact that I had no ham or Prosciutto to line the ramekins with. Thus I opted for Peruvian blue potatoes sliced very thin (which made me think of the au Gratin Potatoes I had just made), and spring onions with a sprinkling of Grana Padano. It was quite tasty.

The part that wasn't so great, although, not necessarily BAD, was that I opted for my au gratin pans, which, since they are not enameled, banned me from using a proper water bath. Eggs don't like to be exposed to intense temperatures and should be baked in a more gentle fashion... But I was throwing caution to the wind this morning.

Oeufs en Cocotte

(although slightly unconventional)

For each serving......
Butter for the Ramekin/Au Gratin pan
1/2 a small potato, sliced thin
1 Scallions (spring/green onion), sliced thin
1 TB Grana Padano Cheese grated
2 eggs
2 TB Heavy Cream
a couple dots of Butter
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 450
Butter your ramekin/au gratin pan

Line the bottom with a single layer of thinly sliced potatoes

Sprinkle with scallions (spring/green onions) and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly (about 5 minutes) before sprinkling with Grana Padano.

Crack 2 eggs into the cooled ramekin/au gratin

Pour 1 TB of cream over each of the yolks (it should pretty much cover the top of the egg)

Sprinkle with Salt (I used Alder Smoked Salish Salt) and hit it with Black Pepper and add a dot of butter to the top of each yolk.

Technically they should be placed in an oven save dish that is filled with hot water and baked for 10-15 minutes. I simply placed mine in the oven for 10 minutes.

Serve with Sour dough toast points, so you can do this... :) Cause breaking into the liquid gold of the yolk with the point of your toast is just more satisfying than using a spoon or fork. (Sometimes it's just the little things)

As I said, the au gratin pans were not the ideal vessel for egg cookage, but they were serviceable. One thing that I will NOT do again, is use the Peruvian blues... I forgot that they turn this weird grayish color when cooked, not very appetizing at the bottom of my dish... But other than that, utterly delish!!!!

Mangia!!
~~

9 comments:

Michele said...

I love eggs and finding new ways to use them. This looks yummy and I totally agree about the toast points. By the way, would you try it again with a different variety of potato?

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Michele - Most assuredly. Maybe a Yukon Gold or some sort of Red Potato. I suppose I should have mentioned that in the post, instead of just saying I wouldn't use the Peruvians again.. ;)

Unknown said...

mmmm....runny egg yolks and pointy sour dough toast. YUMMY

Patti T. said...

Shane,
I don't care how many times people say you shouldn't eat an egg yolk that isn't cooked the whole way through, I enjoy the whole poking of the toast into the liquid gold also! I am sure I would never be able to obtain any Peruvian blues anyway, but I would definitely try this, sounds so decadent and DELICIOUS!!

Bob said...

Guh. That looks so good. I need to get some more eggs!

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Danielle - HA HA

Bob - This would be SO much better with duck eggs...

Fine Life Folk said...

Thought I'd find the egg-celent remark here, he-he! Very appetizing to look at.

Shane T. Wingerd said...

Patti - I have some good news! Once the egg reaches 140 and the white begins to set, it's pretty much been pasteurized. The yolk doesn't begin to set until about 160-165, so you can bet that if the white is cooked, the yolk is safe even if it's runny.

Fine Life - HA HA Thank you... :)

Spryte said...

You always have me dying for eggs!!!!