Baked Eggs with Spring Greens

, from Issue #74. September, 2017
Photography by Josh Griggs.
Baked Eggs with Spring Greens

Packed with veges and topped with eggs, this tasty, high-protein meal can be used as a base, then you can get creative with your own favourite additions. Try chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, halloumi, sautéed mushrooms, green beans and pinenuts.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

250 grams broccolini
24 asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
1½ cups frozen baby peas
2 large handfuls baby spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large leek, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ cup cream
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
8 free-range eggs
parmesan, for grating
sea salt and ground pepper

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.

Bring a large saucepan of well-salted water to the boil. First add the broccolini and cook for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peas and bring back to the boil, then drop in the spinach and stir to wilt.

Tip everything into a colander and drain well.

Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the leek, garlic, cumin and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the leeks are soft, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the cream and mustard and simmer for 5 minutes.

To cook: Take the broccolini and asparagus out of the colander and arrange evenly in 4 shallow baking dishes. Add the peas and spinach to the leek mixture and combine. Divide evenly between the baking dishes.

Make 2 indents in each dish and break an egg into each one. Top with a good grating of parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until the eggs are done to your liking. Serve immediately with hot buttered toast.


Cook's note: Use a small sharp knife to cut the broccolini stems in half but leaving them attached at the top. This helps them to cook more evenly as you want the vegetables to still have some bite.