Barefoot Bloggers: Ina’s Herbed-baked eggs

I’ve joined an online cooking group called Barefoot Bloggers. We’re working our way through Ina Garten’s cookbooks. This is my frist online cooking group and I’m SO excited about it. (I think Scott is excited too, since he’ll get to eat all this good food!) My apologies for being a day late (way to make a first impression huh?). Scott’s been going into work all week, which means he’s out the door by 7 a.m. and I don’t get home until after midnight. Not very conducive to making a meal together! This was our first morning to sleep in and hang out before I have to go to work.

First up, Herbed-baked eggs, chosen by Tara at Smells Like Home.

Who doesn’t like eggs? After making this super simple recipe, I wonder why I don’t make them more often!

After hearing some of the early results from other Barefoot Bloggers, I made one little omission – the cream. Honestly, I completely forgot to buy it at the grocery store and didn’t want to run out to the grocery store again. Without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Ina’s Herbed-baked eggs (from Barefoot in Paris)
(This recipe has been halved from the original to yield 2 servings.)

1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese (I used the stuff in the can)
6 extra-large eggs
2 tbsp. heavy cream (I omitted)
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
salt & pepper
tosted french bread

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

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley & parmesan cheese and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into 2 small bowls (you wont’ 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 four individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Place 1 tbsp. cream and 1/2 tbsp of butter into each dish and place under broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, add the eggs to each gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with 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 baking sheet if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 1 minute and serve hot with toasted bread.

Here’s the uncooked version … Now, my thoughts on this dish….

The herb mixture is AWESOME! I’ll definitely be making these again. With a few changes next time – Find shorter, wider dishes to bake in … mine were so tall that the eggs didn’t cook properly, so I ended up leaving them in the oven for a LOT longer, ending up with overcooked eggs. They were more like hard-boiled. Still delicious, but not what I was hoping for.

Another suggestion from hubby was to scramble the eggs before broiling … and I think it might work. Just mix everything together and then bake or broil. That way the cheese and herbs infuse the eggs.

Coming June 12 – Pasta Pesto & Peas, chosen by Elizabeth at Ugg Smell Food.