Eggs. Oeufs. Heuvos.
Eggs are my all time favourite thing to eat for breakfast. Boiled, poached, scrambled, fried, baked but never, ever made into an omelette. Eggs Benedict- the all time luxury brunch dish. Eggs over easy with skillet hash browns or 'eggs in baskets' are my breakfasts of choice when I'm in the USA. A fried egg sandwich with HP sauce is neccessary when I'm hungover. The sophisticated scrambled eggs with creme fraiche and smoked salmon are reserved for special occasions and last but by no means least, soft-boiled with Maldon salt and sourdough soldiers for dipping are a grown version of the nursery original. Just give me eggs, no bacon necessary.
One particular egg dish I love is one I found in Elizabeth David's book, French Provincial Cooking. Oeufs en Cocette Pascal.
Take a ramekin, crack your egg and in a bain marie (i use my frying pan filled with a couple of inches of simmering water and then cover with foil), cook the eggs until the whites are set, but not rubbery and overdone. In the meantime, heat a few tablespoons of double cream, a dollop of french mustard and some chopped parsley, tarragon and chives. Season with salt and pepper, no need to be shy with either. When it is bubbling, pour onto the eggs (this will finish cooking the egg, which is why you don't cook them all the way). The yolk should still be oozy. Have with sourdough or whatever bread takes your fancy. This dish is very rich so I'd suggest a glass of juice to cut through the creaminess.
I know this is quite a vague translation of the recipe but breakfast or brunch cooking shouldn't be structured or rigorous. I am not a morning person; I have to be eased into the day quietly and gently so the less thinking power needed the better.
No comments:
Post a Comment