This is for Lewis. Lewis loves oozing yolks. I like my eggs solidified with the yolks and whites thoroughly mixed together. I did dip into the spinach and mushrooms. Delicious.
You can change this up for what you have at hand. Instead of shallots, substitute scallions, onions, leeks, or ramps. Use any green you would saute: kale, Swiss chard, or stinging nettles (just foraged some – recipe coming). Skip the mushrooms. Substitute basil or parsley for the chervil, which is so hard to find. The hard part with this recipe is determining when it’s actually done. The center doesn’t cook as quickly as the outer edges and the cream and cheese are really scary bubbling up the sides. Also, how do you like your yolks? A skewer or toothpick test will help you in your decision for removal from the hot oven. Allow a minute or two for the eggs to settle before dipping in your toast points.
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 to 8 cups fresh spinach, washed and drained (leave moisture on leaves)
- 4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 free-range eggs
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Chervil to garnish (optional)
- Preheat oven to 450 F. Place oven rack in top third position.
- Butter or oil a baking dish.
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add butter and shallots. Cook shallots, stirring frequently, until translucent.
- Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the released moisture from the mushrooms has been taken back up by the fungi.
- Add spinach and use tongs or 2 forks to slowly turn the leaves until wilted. Do not over cook.
- Remove from the heat and place the spinach mushroom mixture into a baking dish. Drizzle the cream all over.
- Form 4 wells for the eggs and carefully crack eggs into each well. Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until whites are opaque and just set. You can test the yolks with toothpick.
- Remove from the oven and allow the dish to set for 1 minute.
- Serve with toast points..
I’ve been away for quite some time but I’m back now. And it’s Spring!
Farmer’s Markets are springing up all over the place. The farmers are at their most spry now with the promise of perfect weather, fewer bugs, and hopefully a thinning of deer by hunters. Although hopefully rested, they actually have been hard at work sowing seeds, cultivating, and weeding for two months now. There is nothing comparable to Spring greens. Fall greens are fine with their frosted bite but this season calls for Spring garlic, asparagus, tender greens, freshly laid eggs, and herbs like chives, garlic chives, and fast-growing chervil.
Every Spring, when I used to sell my salad greens at the NYC Greenmarket, without fail on the first warm day (we’re talking April) the customers would be anxiously asking for basil and tomatoes. Let’s enjoy these glorious cool days before the heat of summer hits and try to delay our desires for sun-ripened heirloom tomato sandwiches with basil. If you do run across tomatoes here in the Northeast, they’re greenhouse grown. I tend to go for the sweeter cherry types, if pressed.
Sheila
