Barefoot Bloggers – Herb Baked Eggs

I’m fortunate to have joined another online cooking group. This one, Barefoot Bloggers, was started by Tara of Smells Like Home, and is devoted to cooking/baking Ina Garten recipes twice a month.

I’ve been a fan of Ina’s for a while now and have been saving more and more of her recipes to try. When I saw this group I knew it would be perfect to put all those stored recipes to use and make a few things I might not have done otherwise.

Our first recipe was Herb Baked Eggs. Eggs, easy right? Not for me!! I’ll be the first person to admit that I stink at making eggs. Give me some complicated 257 step recipe and I’ll have no problem. Ask me to make you scrambled eggs and you’re in trouble. I have repeatedly over the years attempted to be a good wife and make breakfast for my husband. It’s a good thing he likes ketchup so that he can cover up the awfulness that are my eggs.

Herbed-Baked Eggs
(Source: Ina Garten “Barefood in Paris” and the show Barefoot Contessa)

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
6 extra-large eggs
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toasted French bread or brioche, for serving

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won’t be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It’s very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds and serve hot with toasted bread.

I had high hopes for the Herb-Baked Eggs as they are cooked in the oven and not on the stove but I somehow managed to mess these up too. I don’t know if it’s because I have a convection oven and had to choose a temperature to set my broiler or if I’m just really, really bad at making anything egg realted? The yolks cooked through and the whites were still raw in the middle.

Sigh, I will one day make an edible egg.

Our next Barefoot Blogger recipe will be Pasta, Pesto, and Peas.