Baked Eggs with Leeks

I have been on such an egg kick recently. Eggs for breakfast, eggs for lunch, eggs for dinner. Scrambled eggs, hardboiled eggs, frittatas. My go-to favorite is one my father used to make for me. It is so ridiculously simple a recipe is not really needed. In a coffee mug (he always used a coffee mug, so I do too…), place 2 warm hardboiled eggs with a few tablespoons of butter and a good amount of salt and pepper. With a fork and knife, coarsely cut up the eggs and their warm insides will melt the butter. Sure you could get fancy and add fresh herbs, but that is really not the point here. It is simple, it is delicious, and as far as I am concerned the best thing going when it comes to hardboiled eggs.

The recipe I am sharing today however is a bit more “gourmet”. Straightforward for a quick weekend bite, but jazzed up enough that it would be perfect for entertaining. That is a fine line to walk—impressive but not fussy, and I am always happy to find something to fit this category.

So try both. Try either. Both are simple pleasures, and will not disappoint.


Baked Eggs with Leeks
serves 2

2 T olive oil
1 small leek, chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
4 eggs
1/4 c chopped basil
4 T heavy cream (or to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add leek and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside.

Preheat broiler to high. Add 1 T butter to 2 single-serving oven proof dishes. Place under broiler for 2 minutes, until butter has melted. Carefully remove from oven, and break 2 eggs into each dish. Return to oven and cook 4-7 minutes, until desired consistency (less time for a runny yoke).

Top each dish with leeks, basil, 2 T heavy cream and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Baked Summer Tomatoes

Tuesday after work, I arrived at the farm to pick up my CSA share, and was greeted with the most glorious sign I ever laid eyes on “pick as much basil as you would like”. Storm clouds were rolling in, so I ran out to the fields, quickly ditching my heels for more appropriate attire—because this was one opportunity I was not going to miss out on. I wondered about the state of the crop with a sign so generous, but my fears were quickly dispelled as I entered the fields. Row after row of healthy basil plants surrounded me, filling the air with a hallucinating, sweet smell. This I decided, was a glimpse at my heaven.

I packed a bag with the makings of a winters-worth of pesto, not even leaving a dent in the crop, and headed back it my car. The storm began minutes later, and I let out a happy sigh. Summer surrounded me—the copious stash of basil, the afternoon storm bringing a welcome breeze, the fresh tomato waiting on my counter at home. I could think of no better way to celebrate my earnings than to taste them. With this, I present to you, summer, in a dish.

Baked Summer Tomatoes
serves 2

2 c cubed ciabatta bread (1/2" cubes)
1 c packed arugula
6 eggs, beaten together
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large tomato, sliced
small handful basil leaves, sliced thin
1 c crumbled feta cheese
2 T olive oil
3 medium shallots, sliced thin 

Preheat oven to 400F. Separate bread cubes between two small (4”-6”) oven-proof dishes. Top each with 1/2 c arugula and half the beaten eggs. Season with a few pinches of salt and pepper. Top each dish with half the tomato slices, basil, and 1/2 c feta cheese. Transfer dishes to oven and cook 15-18 minutes, until eggs are set and cheese begins to brown.

While casserole is baking, make the fried shallots. Heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.

Remove dishes from oven, and top with crispy shallots. Season to taste with salt, pepper and additional basil, if desired.

Market Basket: Spanish Tortilla with Kale

Saturday is the sixth week of the Harvard Farmers’ Market and although I am out of town (Alaska!), I can assure you the market is loaded with greens right now. Kale, Swiss chard and mustard greens are all in season, and although they don’t look like much fun, I beg you to add them to your list this week. They are packed with nutrients and can be thrown into so many delicious dishes (Think: soups, stir fry, pasta, risotto...). This tortilla is one of my favorites and is a great weeknight or brunch meal. Just a few simple ingredients and you have yourself a healthy dinner.

Have a great weekend, I’ll be back next week. And If I know myself, there will be no lack of Alaska photos to share!

If you are in the Boston-area stop by the Harvard Farmers’ Market, Saturday from 9-1, for local produce, breads, cheese, meats and handmade goodies. Previous Harvard Farmers’ Market recipes can be found here or via the link on the right nav.

Spanish Tortilla with Kale
serves 4

4 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes, sliced very thin
6-8 stems kale, stalk discarded and leaves chopped
2 t salt
1 t pepper
6 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large sauce pan, heat 3 T olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and potatoes, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kale, salt and pepper, and cook 7-10 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with a fork. Add potato mixture, scraping the sauce pan clean, and stir to coat.

Add 1 T olive oil to the sauce pan, swirling to coat. Pour in potato-egg mixture, and transfer to the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, until tortilla has puffed, and a knife inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool, and cut into slices to serve.