Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Baked Eggs with Creamed Spinach |

Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Baked Eggs with Creamed Spinach

Filed under Breakfast/Brunch

Apr 16
If this is what French food is like – I’m moving to France!

I wasn’t even going to post this recipe today. My book is almost due at the library, so I’ve been trying to get ahead and cook up all the recipes from this book that I want to make before I have to return it. So I made these baked eggs last night. And I was still thinking about them this morning. I couldn’t not post about them today. Let’s just put it this way:

This was one of the best things that I have ever put into my mouth.

I always hesitate to make statements like that, because what if one of you try it and you are less than impressed, but I loved these eggs. I think that you’d have to be a fan of eggs with runny yolks to really appreciate this dish. But this recipe felt restaurant worthy to me. In fact, if I was served this at a restaurant, I would become a loyal customer. It’s so simple, but the combination of the egg and the cream and the spinach and the toast – heaven.

While I was making this, I kept thinking what a pain it is to make it from fresh spinach. I was all prepared to tell you that you could take a shortcut and use frozen chopped spinach, but once I took my first bite, I knew that the extra work was worth it. If you make this – please use fresh spinach. The freshness really shines through and I just don’t think this dish would be the same without it. Now – I need to run back to the grocery store to get more spinach – I want more!!

Recipe Rating: 5 out of 5

Baked Eggs with Creamed Spinach
slightly adapted from Glorious French Food

makes 6 ramekins

total time: about 30 minutes

salt
1 pound fresh spinach
2/3 cup heavy cream
salt
pepper
1 tablespoon butter, softened
6 large eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or grana padana
6 slices white bread, crusts removed, toasted and buttered, each slice cut into triangles

Bring about 3 quarts of salted water to a rapid boil.

Take the stems of the spinach leaves by pinching the leaf at the base between thumb and forefinger and pulling back the stem with the other hand so that you remove the stem where it runs up the center of the leaf instead of just breaking it off at the base. Wash the leaves thoroughly, plunge them in the boiling water, and simmer them until they “melt”, about 30 seconds. Immediately drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. Gently squeeze the leaves in small bunches to get rid of excess water. Slice the small bunches into 2 or 3 pieces each, so the spinach ends up coarsely chopped.

Bring 1/4 cup of the cream to a simmer in a saute pan, season it with salt and pepper, and cook it down until it’s so thick it looks almost like a paste. Stir in the fresh-cooked spinach for about 30 seconds then turn off the heat.

Use a brush or your finger to smear the insides of 6 ramekins or custard cups with the softened butter. Distribute the creamed spinach among the ramekins and crack an egg into each ramekin. Spoon the rest of the cream, about 1 tablespoon per ramekin, over the eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Line the bottom of a lidded saute pan with a kitchen towel, (to keep the ramekins from moving around, arrange the ramekins in the pan), and pour in enough water to come about one-third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Put the pan over high heat, and as soon as the water comes to the simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan. Cook until the egg whites set but the yolks are still runny, 10 to 12 minutes. Because of the cream, the eggs may look runny on top, so judge doneness by quickly touching the egg white with your finger, not by how they look on top. Serve on little folded napkins set on small plates, with the toasts passed at the table or arranged around the rim of each plate.
15 Comments

15 Responses to “Cookbook of the Month Recipe – Baked Eggs with Creamed Spinach”

Cassie said on April 16th, 2010 at 3:12 pm

Oh. My. Gosh. I cannot WAIT to try this. I am loving baked eggs lately, and this just looks absolutely amazing. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this today!

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Valerie said on April 16th, 2010 at 3:42 pm

I'll make this for my husband soon. He loves eggs and spinach together. I do too.

How interesting that you put a towel in the pan. I've never done something like that before.

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Brenda said on April 16th, 2010 at 3:49 pm

I absolutely love baked eggs and this recipe sounds AMAZING! I can't wait to try it, thank you!

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Rosa's Yummy Yums said on April 16th, 2010 at 4:39 pm

Simple and amazing tasting!

Cheers,

Rosa

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Pam said on April 16th, 2010 at 5:10 pm

This sounds really good to me! Love those runny eggs and with the spinach, I bet it's a winner!

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Joanne said on April 16th, 2010 at 5:19 pm

If you gave it a 5 out of 5, this MUST be good! I love the sound of the spinachy creaminess…

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Future Grown-Up said on April 16th, 2010 at 7:30 pm

You've inspired me to go out and buy the book because all the recipes you've posted from this have looked amazing.

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Janell said on April 17th, 2010 at 3:00 am

9:00pm on a Friday night and I want to eat this!!

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teresa said on April 17th, 2010 at 3:43 am

SOLD! i have to make this soon!

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cookofthehouse said on April 17th, 2010 at 9:59 am

This was so delicios! Just made them for breakfast. A perfect start for a weekend. Thanks!

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grace said on April 17th, 2010 at 10:19 am

my goodness, what high praise! i've never been particularly enamored of french food in general, but it seems i need to give this a try–hellooo, heavy cream!!

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Saveur said on April 17th, 2010 at 12:33 pm

I get my cookbooks from the library, too! I only buy the real good ones.

This looks really scrumptious and I hope to try it too!

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scrambledhenfruit said on April 18th, 2010 at 2:05 am

This will definitely be breakfast tomorrow. Everything about this recipe sounds delicious- Thanks!

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Abby said on April 18th, 2010 at 3:02 am

Sold. I love eggs SO very much.

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Jessiker said on April 19th, 2010 at 4:24 pm

So, I did make this….ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS 5 OUT OF 5 is true. Our Jamaican version is callaloo, but it tastes the same. I had this the other night (yes crazy) and for breakfast this morning! I love your blog, please check out mine! I'm new!

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