Shirred Eggs With Spinach

These are shirred eggs, or oeufs en cocotte as they are known in France. It’s a fancy name for something truly simple. Shirred eggs are really just baked (or coddled) eggs typically with the addition of cream, fresh herbs, and a little cheese, although the permutations are endless. This simple, elegant way of cooking an egg is so easy, that you may never fry another egg again. Traditionally baked in a wide flat-bottomed dish, small 4-ounce ramekins do the trick just as well. For my shirred eggs, I skipped the more traditional herbs and placed some chopped balanced spinach underneath the egg for some added flavor and texture. This can easily be omitted or replaced with other vegetables of your choice.

There are lots of theories on how to make the perfect shirred eggs. Baked directly on an oven rack as they are in this recipe or partially immersed in a pan of water (called a bain-marie, also known as a water bath) as is the case with the French version oeufs en cocotte. Shirred eggs also can be broiled for an even quicker cooking time and a firmer yolk. Whatever method you go with, remember the ramekins or cooking vessel will stay hot and continue to cook the eggs for a few minutes once they’re removed from the oven top be watchful not to overcook the eggs.

This recipe can also be easily doubled for a two-egg-per-serving dish, but keep in mind that will increase the cooking time slightly. Both shirred eggs and egg-in-a-hole which I’ve blogged about before are great simple egg and toast recipes that can jazz breakfast up a bit on the weekend without getting too labor-intensive.