sprinklefingers

i spent 34 years detesting eggs unless they were baked into a brownie. or a cookie. or a triple layer chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream.

and now, i’m declaring my 35th year my year of eggs.

[speaking of my year of eggs, you should read this book.]

ahem, continuing on:

until this last september, i wouldn’t touch an egg in egg-form with a one million foot pole. even if you paid me, i would not do it.

and then i went to new york city. while in nyc, i dined at two places - two places that encouraged - and persuaded - me to embrace the egg. 

first up, momofuku.
the momfuku ramen has about one million flavors in it - all perfectly harmonious and extremely delicious. in addition to its one million flavors, it also features a poached egg. floating right on top of all of that deliciousness…perfectly poached. and once the poached egg is stirred into the ramen, you have yourself a legitimate taste sensation. after eating momofuku’s ramen, i was HALF WAY to agreeing that eggs could be agreeable.

second, per se.
the night i dined at per se was an extraordinary night. i was with my sister. it was her birthday. we had an amazing table looking out at central park. when the egg course was served, i wasn’t hesitant. not at all. it was an egg - with a vibrant orange yolk - sitting atop a corn cake. so simple, yet literally one of the most delicious things i’ve ever put in my belly. after the second bite i was literally a changed woman.

and what did i say to chef keller when i had the extraordinary chance of meeting him in the kitchen? “you completely changed my mind about eggs. thank you.”

and now, i have a complete appreciation for the egg.

happily, i’ve started to turn to eggs in their eggy form much more often. my current favorite egg-related delight? baked eggs in brioche buns. you should make them for someone you love.

baked eggs in brioche buns

you need:

• one brioche bun per serving
• unsalted butter, room temperature
• one egg per serving
• half & half, one tiny splash per serving
• gruyere cheese, 3 smallish slices* per serving
• parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated, 3 T per serving
• fines herbs
• salt
• pepper

make the buns:

1. preheat the oven to 350.
2. grease a sheet tray lightly with butter.
3. take a brioche bun and pull the bread out of the center, not digging so deep that you make a hole that the egg could seep through, and not so wide that the bun sides won’t be able to contain the egg. yet you still want the hole to be wide/deep enough to house the egg and cheeses. repeat this hollowing-out process on each bun. (note: save all the bread you pulled out of the center. we’ll turn those into a tasty, toasty salad topping in just a minute.)
4. once you have somewhat hollow buns, brush the outside of each with a bit of room temperature butter and set them on the sheet tray.
5. next, crack an egg into each bun hole.
6. pour maybe a teaspoon or so of half and half over each egg.
7. sprinkle on a bit of fines herbs, then add salt & pepper to taste.
8. top each egg with the slices of gruyere and the grated parmigiano.
9. bake the buns for 20 minutes or until the egg white is set and the yolk is still (perfectly) runny.
10. serve with a lovely green salad topped with toasted brioche ‘crumbs’ (method below.)

toasty brioche crumbs

now that you’ve hollowed out a few brioche buns, you’ve got some chunky crumbs just waiting to be turned into something delicious. right? right. here’s what you can do:

1. melt a bit of unsalted butter in a saute pan over medium heat. add the chunky crumbs and toast in the butter until they are golden brown.
2. plate your salads then top with the crumbs. delicious!

(yes, you can save your chunky crumbs and toast them another night for a salad, but i say: why wait?)

—-

these eggs in brioche buns really are a treat. at serving time (which could be breakfast, lunch, brunch OR dinner!), don’t be afraid to dig right in. we attack them with forks & knives and try to make sure each bite of brioche is accompanied by a bit of egg and cheese. i’m getting hungry just thinking about it. hey, what’s new? me, hungry?

* it helps to slice your gruyere so that it will fit in the hole you made in the bun. just sayin’.