Easy Weekend Breakfast: Baked Eggs in Cream with Spinach ♥

A cozy, comforting breakfast
How to cook eggs in ramekins, "shirred" eggs they're called or just "baked" eggs. I've added spinach and cream and so this "tastes" much more like an indulgence than it is.

I sooo wanted this recipe from the January issue of Gourmet to be delicious! And it is, it is!

I will definitely make these baked eggs -- also called 'shirred eggs' -- again, for one or two or even for brunch for guests. For brunch, I'd do the prep in advance, everything except dropping in the eggs.

Each serving has only 2 net carbs so it's perfect for South Beach, Atkins and other low-carb eaters. And while the eggs and cream do add up to 5 Weight Watchers points, it does have protein calories vs only fat/carb calories in a muffin; this means it should 'last' longer.

I will try half and half another time, just to see, which drops the point count to 3. But to my taste, these baked eggs are definitely 'worth' 5 points.

KITCHEN TIPS
  • Be sure to cut off the spinach stems before heating up the cream.
  • The eggs are oven-baked in ramekins in what's called a hot water bath or bain marie. Don't be worried: nothing could be easier.
    • Just place your filled ramekins in another pan that's at least as tall as the ramekins and big enough to leave room for water to flow; I use a Corning casserole dish.
    • Before popping into the oven, fill the bigger pan with boiling water til it reaches about half the height of the ramekins.
    • Seriously, that's all there is to it!
  • The eggs may not fully cook so if salmonella is a concern, be sure to bake until the yolks are fully set.

BAKED EGGS in CREAM with SPINACH

Hands-on time: maybe 15 minutes
Time to table: maybe 45 minutes
Serves 4

Water for hot water bath
12 ounces fresh spinach, washed, dried, stems removed
1 cup cream
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
Finishing salt such as fleur de sel or Maldon

Preheat oven to 375F. Bring water to boil for the hot water bath. Prep the spinach. Bring the cream, salt and pepper to a boil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the spinach and let cook, stirring a bit, for 2 - 3 minutes. (You want to retain the bright green color.) With tongs, divide spinach among four ramekins. Continue cooking the cream until it becomes very thick, then divide among the ramekins. (Prep ahead this far, even the night before for brunch. If so, you'll want to cover tightly and refrigerate, then return to room temperature before proceeding.)

If desired, with a spoon create a shallow depression in the spinach (I didn't but think it's a good idea), then carefully break an egg into the depression. Place the ramekins in a larger pan at least as tall as the ramekins and large enough there's room for water to flow. Fill the bigger pan with boiling water til it reaches about half the height of the ramekins.

Bake for 18 - 22 minutes (said the inspiring recipe, mine took nearly 30) until the whites are cooked. Top with a little finishing salt and serve immediately.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
Can't be bothered with the ramekins or bain marie? You just might like Easy Spinach Nests .




A Veggie Venture is home of 'veggie evangelist' Alanna Kellogg and the
famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.
© Copyright Kitchen Parade 2007


Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. This is such a great brunch recipe, Alanna! Thanks!

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  2. Ooooooo, I'm so making this one. Spinach, I always looking for way to use it. I love it. I buy those huge 3 lbs bags at Sam's and it never goes to waste. I love poached eggs, I think baked will be close enough. Thanks for this one Alanna!
    Like the new look also!

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  3. Great for brunch, and rich enough so you'd get filled up on just the one egg. Thanks!

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  4. I would've thought that recipe had more fat *shrug*

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  5. Love the sound of this. It would be more SBD friendly with half and half, since cream has saturated fat. How would that work.

    Yikes. Recess bell just rang. Must work now.

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  6. Your redesign looks fab!
    The eggs do too. I will try that recipe for sure. Jacob is even back on the poached egg wagon.

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  7. Pille ~ Perfect, yes, for Partygirl Pille ;-)

    Tanna ~ I think you could easily slip a poached egg onto a plate with just the spinach. Just make sure the spinach is fully cooked.

    Lydia ~ One egg is plenty, yes so especially good for those who limit their egg intake for cholesterol and other reasons.

    Jeff ~ You know, yes, that's why I always always do nutrition analysis. Some times the surprise is in a good way!

    Kalyn ~ I'll just have to try!

    Karen ~ Thanks!

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  8. Perfect timing! I was just purusing my copy of The Silver Spoon cookbook last night, and it has a bunch of baked egg recipes--what it calls "coccettes" (I think--can't quite remember the spelling). Anyway, I want to try them, and am glad to read about someone else's real-life experience first!

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  9. Oooo these looks so good! Baked eggs are the best. I've been craving them lately and did a version with peppers, onions and tomatoes. I think it's a winter thing -- so comforting!

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  10. Mmm. How did I miss this post? I was eyeing up this recipe too, and am thrilled to hear that it is a winner. We'll be trying this one soon!

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  11. I think a similar result could be obtained with an egg coddler. These coddlers are porcelin cups in which eggs are placed along with any seasonings. The coddler is then capped with its top,and set into boiling water for 8-10 minutes.You could use a large coddler, which would have room for the spinach.

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  12. Made this tonight for dinner. It was pretty good. Very spinachy - if you like cooked spinach, you'll like this. (I'm not a huge fan of cooked spinach, so the fact that I liked it at all is telling!) The eggs are a little tricky - I kept checking on them, but they looked raw. So finally I poked one, and they were a little overdone and rubbery. Next time I make this, I will add some cheese to the cream. Also, I will put the ramekins in the pan, put the pan in the oven, slide the shelf out, and then poor in the boiling water. BTW, i strongly recommend a tea kettle to boil the water. IT makes pouring really easy! I used baby spinach, since I had it on hand, so I didn't have to trim any stems.

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna