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Breakfast

Julia Child Baked Eggs with Herbs Recipe – Simple, Classic, Delicious French Breakfast

Eggs are one of nature’s amazing food.  In terms of cooking them, eggs are both on of the most simple things to handle and cook and also can be one of the most scientifically complex.  Maybe that’s why I like them so much.  Sure, they’re high in cholesterol, but they’re also packed with protein and B vitamins – not to mention taste delicious.

When thinking about cooking eggs, most people can scramble, fry and hard boil, but cooking eggs with some finesse and seasoning them with things like fresh herbs and cream can really take your eggs to the next level.  This dish is straight out of Julia Child’s masterpiece Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and I like serving it for Christmas Brunch and on other special occasions, but it’s also great for dinner alongside a simple salad.

One thing I will say about eggs is that we really do like to advocate that you buy ORGANIC eggs.  It may cost you a little bit extra, but it’s something that is really good for the entire food community. Non-organic eggs are kept in tiny cages and fed a diet of mostly corn, treatment that produces a much worse product that hens that are allowed to roam free and eat mostly grass and organic feed.  For more information on this please check out these differences between organic and non-organic eggs.

It’s best alongside a crusty toasted piece of sourdough toast for you to dip into the soft yolk.  You can also season the eggs with other things such as prosciutto, caramelized onions or anything you might like.  My advice with this dish though is to keep it simple and you’ll be rewarded.  It’s a simple dish to begin with and keeping it that way is one of the most appealing things about it.  Here’s how to execute it:

Serves 4

• You’ll need to have 4 small ramekins that are oven-safe
• 8 organic eggs
• 8 Tbsp. cream (heavy recommended, though light cream might work too)
• 1 Tbsp. sage
• 1 Tbsp. rosemary
• 1 Tbsp. thyme
• Around 2 Tbsp. butter
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  The preparation for this dish is pretty simple.  Start by making sure that the eggs are a room temperature, this will help them cook evenly how you want them.  Take a little bit of butter and simply butter the ramekins lightly on all sides and on the bottom.  Get a large baking sheet or pan that can go into the oven and add enough water to cover the pan by about an inch of water.  Place the pan over medium/low heat and bring the water to just a simmer.  Place the buttered ramekins into the pan and water.

Next add 1 Tbsp of cream to each ramekin, followed by a small amount of each herb (dividing each pile of herbs evenly amongst each ramekin).  Next, crack 2 eggs into each ramekin, being very careful not to break any of the yolks.  Once your eggs are in the ramekins, season them all with a bit of salt and pepper and then add the remaining 1 Tbsp. each fo cream to each ramekin.  Finally, top each with a tiny pat of butter and place the whole pan with the ramekins into the pre-heated oven.

Bake the eggs for 8-10 minutes and then pull them.  it may seem like they’re still runny, but trust me, you don’t want to overcook them.  Serve immediately with some toast and you’ve got an awesome gourmet breakfast.

Tags: baked eggs, Eggs