Eggs En Cocotte With A Basque Piperade Recipes

PIPERADE (BASQUE SCRAMBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and cook onion until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add peppers and cook 15 minutes, until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until tomatoes are pulpy. Thoroughly beat eggs in a small bowl, add to tomato mixture, and stir until they begin to thicken; remove from heat before they solidify. Serve on heated plates, topped with fried ham slice or slices, and surrounded with croutons.;

PIPERADE BASQUAISE

Steps:

• Prepare the piperade by first heating the 4 tablespoons of fat of your choice in a heavy 8-inch frying pan or, better still, in a small oval copper or enamel pan that you can bring to the table. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook them for about 5 minutes over moderate heat, stirring them frequently until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the pepper strips, turning them in the fat now and then, letting them cook for about 10 minutes, at which point they should be tender but still crisp. Drain the chopped tomatoes thoroughly and add them to the pan, sprinkling in at the same time the dried or fresh basil and the pepper flakes or hot pepper sauce. Raise the heat and cook the tomatoes briskly for a few minutes and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all their moisture has evaporated. Be careful that the piperade doesn't burn. Put it aside until you are ready to reheat and serve it.
• At that point, combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in an 8-inch heavy frying pan, and over moderate heat, cook the julienned ham for a few minutes until the strips are thoroughly heated through. Remove them at once with a slotted spoon and spread them out on paper toweling to drain.
• Meanwhile let the fat in the frying pan cool to lukewarm before pouring it into the eggs, lightly beaten with salt and pepper. Over low heat, stir the eggs with a rubber spatula until they begin to form soft, creamy curds. Remove them from the heat when they are not quite set and gently spread them over the reheated piperade. Let some of the colorful vegetables show through. Lightly scatter the ham on top, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and/or chopped chives, and serve at once.

SOUTHERN EGGS EN COCOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cook the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove the sausage to a paper towel to drain. Use the rendered sausage fat to grease 4 large individual ramekins, (gratin dishes or individual cast iron pots work too) and arrange them on a rimmed sheet tray.
• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring the water and half-and-half to a boil and season with salt, to taste. Rapidly whisk in the grits. Continue whisking while returning to a boil, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thick and creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Season with pepper and more salt, if needed.
• Divide the cooked grits between the prepared baking dishes and top each with cooked sausage and grated cheese. Make a divot with the back of a spoon into the cheese and sausage topped grits. Crack the eggs, 1 at a time, into a small bowl and top the ramekins with the eggs. Bake until the egg whites are almost, but not fully set, about 10 to 15 minutes. For more well-done eggs, bake until the whites are set.

EGGS EN COCOTTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Rub the inside of 6 ramekins with the butter and then season with the thyme, distributing both equally amongst the ramekins. Add 2 eggs to each, season with salt and pepper. Place the ramekins in a baking dish, and pour water into the baking dish until it is halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place the baking dish in the pre-heated oven. Bake eggs for 15 minutes, or until set and golden on top. Eat and enjoy!

EGGS IN POTS (OEUFS EN COCOTTE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C/Gas 4.
• Season the creme fraiche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.
• Place a heaped tablespoon of creme fraiche in the bottom of a ramekin, followed by a little chopped dill. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of creme fraiche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with 3 more ramekins.
• Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the egg yolks are set to your liking.
• If you like, finish each serving with a teaspoon of red lumpfish roe and a sprig or two of dill.

EGGS EN COCOTTE WITH A BASQUE PIPERADE

Steps:

• Special equipment: 4 (1-cup) capacity ramekins
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil.
• Smear the bottom of each ramekin with the butter. For each serving, crack 2 eggs into a small bowl or dish, being careful not to break the yolks, then slide into a prepared ramekin. Season with the salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the cream, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Set the ramekins into a medium-sized glass or ceramic baking pan, allowing at least 1 inch of space between dishes. Transfer to the bottom rack of the oven and pour the boiling water into the baking dish, being careful not to splash any hot water into the ramekins. Cover with a sheet of aluminum foil and bake 8 to 12 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft and a bit runny. Prepare the piperade while the eggs are baking.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the prosciutto in the olive oil until beginning to crisp, then add the onion. Saute until lightly golden, then add the red and green pepper and cook until the strips just begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes, if using. Allow the mixture to stew over medium-low heat until liquid has evaporated and the tomatoes are heated through. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper. Off the heat, add the basil. Divide between the ramekins (you will have extra) and serve on a small plate, piping hot.
• This recipe was provided by a finalist, who may or may not be a professional cook, for The Next Food Network Star. Food Network has not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.