Baked Eggs w/Goat Cheese + Herbs

The first time I had baked eggs I was visiting Catherine in New York. I can't remember the name of the place, but I certainly remember those eggs! I knew that eggs were one of the most amazing foods on the planet, but I had no idea they could be baked. As far as I was concerned, breakfast eggs were either scrambled for an omelet, fried with a side of bacon and a biscuit, poached for Eggs Benedict, or mixed with spinach and cheese for a delicious quiche. But baked? No way.

A baked egg is much like a fried egg. The longer they're baked, the less runny the yolk becomes. And just like a fried egg, the trick is finding the happy place where the whites are cooked through but the yolk is still runny. A lot of this depends upon oven temperature and the size of the ramekin used. I only have six inch ramekins, so they're what I use; however, it's easier to strike the aforementioned balance with a larger ramekin simply because there is more surface area.

Friday morning I chose to make baked eggs simply because of timing. Cooking eggs on the stove is faster, but they require a constant supervisory eye. With baked eggs, I prepare them in less than 5 minutes, set the oven timer, place the ramekins on the rack above the baking bacon, and leave them while I shower. Baked eggs are also great to make when serving a larger crowd. Breakfast is one of the tougher meals to make for guests, as everyone wants to eat together, yet there are only so many eggs one can fry at a time. With baked eggs, the cook can pop bake all the eggs in the oven at the same time as opposed to having to fry eggs in batches.

So if you've never baked eggs, give it a try. Just like anything else, it takes practice to get them right. But once you do, you won't be disappointed.

Baked Eggs w/Goat Cheese + Herbs

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 375º

Lightly grease the inside of each ramekin with olive oil.

Pour 1 tablespoon heavy cream into the bottom of each ramekin.

Crack two eggs into each ramekin.

Place 4-5 1/4 teaspoon-sized chucks of goat cheese into each ramekin.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dill (or rosemary).

Place on top rack of preheated oven.

Bake 12-15 minutes. (The cream will float to the top giving the impression that the egg whites are runnier than they really are.)

Serve immediately. (Remember that the eggs will continue to cook once removed from the oven.)

We ate our eggs with fresh strawberries and bacon.

Eat up!