One of the first cookbooks I owned was Ina Garten’s Barefoot in Paris. I was easily sold on the beautiful, simple food, and even more easily sold on all the book’s talk of Paris. It was right around the time that I came home from a semester in Paris and was sold on the idea that every lunch should take place in a cozy café and consist of a plain omelet with a green salad and crusty bread.
I’ve bookmarked and made a number of recipes in that cookbook, and yet I somehow never came back to one of the very first recipes that caught my eye. These herbed baked eggs are almost too simple to be called a recipe, but in true Ina Garten form, the details count. They remind me of everything I loved about eggs in Paris – particularly those that are cooked well and combined with a few delicious additions.
With Easter week upon us and brunches and breakfasts on the brain, I found myself flipping back through the book to find this recipe. It’s not at all complicated, but the splash of cream and a bit of butter make the eggs creamy and rich. These baked eggs come out of the oven hot and bubbly and slightly fragrant with the herbs and garlic. With crusty bread for dipping, it’s a great breakfast or brunch, but I’d take it for lunch any day as well.
It took about ten years to get around to making it, but it was well worth the wait.
- ¼ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
- 8 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 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 2 eggs into each of 4 small bowls or teacups (you won't be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks.
- Place 4 individual gratin dishes or ramekins on a baking sheet. Place ½ tablespoon of cream and ½ tablespoon of butter in each dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour 2 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. (The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven.) Serve immediately with toasted bread.
Jess, it’s like you read my mind. I’ve been thinking lately about making baked eggs – probably due to all the Easter brunch planning : ) I absolutely love all the herbs in this (although it makes me want to get our garden started already but with the cold weather and snow… not happening yet!)
Ashley recently posted..Chocolate Chip “Bird’s Nest” Cookie Cups
I heard it’s still so cold and snowy where you are, Ashley! Nothing like snow on Easter – hopefully it warms up before the weekend. P.S….Wishing you could send a few of those Cookie Cups my way. 😉
These look so wonderful I think I might just make this for dinner. I love the addition of the herbs which I think beautifully compliments fresh eggs. A lovely post Jess! I am now hungry for Baked Eggs 🙂
Karista recently posted..Today, My Heart is Grateful
I’m looking forward to making these for dinner, Karista. I love eggs for dinner. Beautiful post this week – thinking of you!
Those herbed eggs look amazing. Barefoot in Paris is such a great book; sometimes the simplest recipes are the best ones!
Diana @ Brooklyn Atlas recently posted..Blood Orange Rosemary Gin Fizz
It’s one of my favorites, Diana. Unfortunately, my cookbooks get so little love these days – there’s so much good stuff on the internet, but this reminds me that I need to use my actual cookbooks more often.
I think this would make a phenomenal breakfast. It looks very good. Great work!
I love this dish! I want some for breakfast tomorrow!
PolaM recently posted..Sundried tomato bread
Mmmm. Butter and cream and eggs, oh my! I remember watching Ina make these on her show one time and thinking they looked really good. Also, taking them out of the oven when the whites are just set and knowing the eggs will continue to cook – good tip. I recently made the baked eggs rancheros from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook for 8 ladies (16 eggs) and horribly overcooked all of the yolks. The dish was delicious otherwise, but I should have pulled it out of the oven much earlier. Now I know.
Katie (The Muffin Myth) recently posted..what’s good around the web!
Oh those pesky yolks, Katie! The eggs we get here are so fresh that the yolks seem to cook extra fast – sometimes I even cook them through when I’m poaching eggs. Mmmm -those baked eggs rancheros in the SK cookbook look good – I’m going to try those.
i love Ina and have had so much luck with her recipes. I don’t think I’ve ever made baked eggs before and now I feel like I’m missing out. Such a simple, yet elegant dish. Looks wonderful!
sally @ sallys baking addiction recently posted..Cake Batter Cinnamon Rolls.
these look so yummy, friend! Perfect for a hearty yet healthy, lazy weekend breakfast : )
dana recently posted..Peanut Butter Eggs
Perfect for my Easter Brunch for two (because we will be meeting family for an early dinner at 3:30)!!!!!
Debra recently posted..Roasted Carrot Hummus with Orange and Garam Masala
These baked eggs look so good! I think I remember seeing Ina make them a long time ago. We actually had eggs for dinner this evening, something we enjoy when in the mood for a lighter meal.
I love eggs for dinner too, Lorraine. Hearing you say that you saw Ina make these makes me miss the Food Network. 😉
Oh wow these look AMAZING! I don’t know if I have enough small baking dishes, but your photos give me the idea of cooking enough for everyone in my iron skillet and scooping out individual servings. One way or another, I must try this very soon! Thank you!
Andi (The Weary Chef) recently posted..Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #10 – Rice Is Nice.
Andi – I think that’s a great idea! I had also thought that this would work great cooked all together in a pie plate and then just scooped out over toast in individual plates. (I finally got a cast iron skillet, and I’m finding endless ways to use it!)
so unique and delicious… never seen anything like it. i love the little black thing you baked the eggs in. and the combination of herbs and cream, YUM! just amazing.
honeywhatscooking recently posted..Sweet & Spicy Mayan Hot Chocolate (reduced-fat)
Just love this recipe…. Never fails to impress and so easy… I serve it with an arugula salad with feta and sliced toasted almonds
Rico – what a great idea to serve on the side – the peppery flavor of arugula would be wonderful against the richness of the dish!
Hello 🙂 where’s your dish from pls? Will love to purchase.
Hi Alisha – I bought it at a market here in Bangkok (Chatuchak), so I imagine it might be difficult to find elsewhere.
Well, I was excited to try this – love all of Ina’s recipes. They burned. I followed the recipe exactly, using large, 5″ ramekins, placed 6″ (I measured!) from the broiler, & broiled them for 5 minutes. The tops were black. The yolks appeared to be just a little overcooked, but they were so unappetizing with the burnt topping, we just pitched them. My broiler only has one setting. Maybe I should have put the rack in the middle position (the next one down).
HI Laura – I’m so sorry this didn’t turn out. Broilers have such a huge variation that I should update the recipe to indicate that some adjustments might be needed. I’d definitely recommend trying it just the way you say – putting the rack in the middle position or even moving it as far away from the heat source as possible. That way you can just keep an eye on them as they cook – if they take a bit longer it shouldn’t affect the finished product, but at least you’ll avoid burning.