Baking Eggs Sur Le Plat
Content
SCRAMBLED EGGS & BAKED EGGS
Baked eggs
BAKING EGGS EN COCOTTE
One of the simplest ways of cooking eggs is to bake or "shirr"
them in the attractive little dishes designed specifically for the
purpose. An egg en cocotte is baked in a ramekin with sides high
enough to protect the egg from direct heat. An egg sur le plat is
baked on a flatter dish, traditionally a small gratin dish with eared
handles, though any shallow baking dish can be used, providing it
Ramekins come in sizes to hold one or two eggs, depending on the
desired size of the serving portion.
is not aluminum.
At their simplest, baked eggs are cooked in buttered dishes with
only the addition of salt and pepper, sprinkled under the eggs so
as not to spot their surface; at most a tablespoon or two of cream
may be added for richness. However a tablespoon of garnish such
as chopped herbs, ham, onion with fried croutons, or smoked
1 Butterthe ramekins, sprinkle
with salt and pepper and add
any flavorings. Break inthe eggs.
Add a tablespoon of creamand cover
the eggs loosely with foil ifyou like.
Set the ramekins in a water bath and
bring to a boil on top of the stove.
fish, added to the bottom of the ramekin, does not come amiss.
Eggs en cocotte- are cooked in a water bath on top of the stove, or in
the oven. When left uncovered and without cream, a smooth
shiny skin forms —hence the French name en miroir. For a skinless
surface, they may be covered loosely with aluminum foil.
Eggs can also be left plain sur leplat but at the very least a slice
of bacon or a few mushrooms sauteed in butter are generally
included. The dish may also be sprinkled with cooked shrimps or
chicken livers, or be lined with a colorful bed of spinach or bell
peppers cooked d la basquaise with ham and garlic.With a copious
garnish, eggs sur le plat become a meal in themselves. Since they
are baked without a water bath, they are firmer than eggs en
cocotte, and may be loosely covered to keep them moist.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Portion 1-2 eggs.
Storage Serve at once.
Cooking times En cocotte: bake at
from heat before quite done.
Typical dishes En cocotte: with
watercress (UK); ovos d Portuguesa
spices and breadcrumbs,
Portugal); baked eggsArchduke
(with onion and paprika, UK);
oeufsen cocotte aujus (with roasted
meat juices, France); steka agg i
form med ansjovis (with anchovy,
Scandinavia). Sur leplat: huevos en
camisa (yolk covered with beaten
white, cheese and spices, Spain);
oeufs au diable(with cream and
cayenne pepper, France); Denver
baked eggs (with cheddar, roasted
peppers, bacon, tomatoes and
(baked in a tomato shell with
cream, USA).
375°F/190°C, 5-6 minutes or on
top of stove. Sur leplat: bake at
375°F/190°C, 8-12 minutes.
When done White is set, while
yolk is still soft.
Problems Eggs continue to cook
in heat of the dish; remove them
2 Continue cooking the eggs on top ofthe stove or bake them in a375°F/
190°C oven until the whiteisjustset and the yolks are still very soft, 5-6
minutes. Testbyshaking the ramekin. Theeggs will continuecooking 1-2
minutes in the heat of the dish and will then be readyto serve.
BAKING EGGS SUR LE PLAT
Eggs may be baked sur leplat in individual dishes or in one large
dish; porcelain or glasshelps spread the heat so the eggsbake
slowlyand evenly, but enamelled cast iron dishes are popular too.
In individual dishes, the garnish is spread around the dish with
the eggs in the center. In one large dish, the garnish should be
spread around the dish with the eggsspaced evenly on top.
Cooking time varies very much with the type of dish and quantity
of garnish used with the eggs.
1 RIGHT: Butter the baking dishes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread
with garnish. Makea hollow inthe garnish ineach dish and drop an egg
into it. Add cream and coverthe eggs loosely with foil ifyou like.
2 Bake the eggs in a375°F/190°C oven until the egg white is set butthe
yolk isstill soft, 8-12 minutes.
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Baked eggs
BAKING EGGS EN COCOTTE
One of the simplest ways of cooking eggs is to bake or "shirr"
them in the attractive little dishes designed specifically for the
purpose. An egg en cocotte is baked in a ramekin with sides high
enough to protect the egg from direct heat. An egg sur le plat is
baked on a flatter dish, traditionally a small gratin dish with eared
handles, though any shallow baking dish can be used, providing it
Ramekins come in sizes to hold one or two eggs, depending on the
desired size of the serving portion.
is not aluminum.
At their simplest, baked eggs are cooked in buttered dishes with
only the addition of salt and pepper, sprinkled under the eggs so
as not to spot their surface; at most a tablespoon or two of cream
may be added for richness. However a tablespoon of garnish such
as chopped herbs, ham, onion with fried croutons, or smoked
1 Butterthe ramekins, sprinkle
with salt and pepper and add
any flavorings. Break inthe eggs.
Add a tablespoon of creamand cover
the eggs loosely with foil ifyou like.
Set the ramekins in a water bath and
bring to a boil on top of the stove.
fish, added to the bottom of the ramekin, does not come amiss.
Eggs en cocotte- are cooked in a water bath on top of the stove, or in
the oven. When left uncovered and without cream, a smooth
shiny skin forms —hence the French name en miroir. For a skinless
surface, they may be covered loosely with aluminum foil.
Eggs can also be left plain sur leplat but at the very least a slice
of bacon or a few mushrooms sauteed in butter are generally
included. The dish may also be sprinkled with cooked shrimps or
chicken livers, or be lined with a colorful bed of spinach or bell
peppers cooked d la basquaise with ham and garlic.With a copious
garnish, eggs sur le plat become a meal in themselves. Since they
are baked without a water bath, they are firmer than eggs en
cocotte, and may be loosely covered to keep them moist.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Portion 1-2 eggs.
Storage Serve at once.
Cooking times En cocotte: bake at
from heat before quite done.
Typical dishes En cocotte: with
watercress (UK); ovos d Portuguesa
spices and breadcrumbs,
Portugal); baked eggsArchduke
(with onion and paprika, UK);
oeufsen cocotte aujus (with roasted
meat juices, France); steka agg i
form med ansjovis (with anchovy,
Scandinavia). Sur leplat: huevos en
camisa (yolk covered with beaten
white, cheese and spices, Spain);
oeufs au diable(with cream and
cayenne pepper, France); Denver
baked eggs (with cheddar, roasted
peppers, bacon, tomatoes and
(baked in a tomato shell with
cream, USA).
375°F/190°C, 5-6 minutes or on
top of stove. Sur leplat: bake at
375°F/190°C, 8-12 minutes.
When done White is set, while
yolk is still soft.
Problems Eggs continue to cook
in heat of the dish; remove them
2 Continue cooking the eggs on top ofthe stove or bake them in a375°F/
190°C oven until the whiteisjustset and the yolks are still very soft, 5-6
minutes. Testbyshaking the ramekin. Theeggs will continuecooking 1-2
minutes in the heat of the dish and will then be readyto serve.
BAKING EGGS SUR LE PLAT
Eggs may be baked sur leplat in individual dishes or in one large
dish; porcelain or glasshelps spread the heat so the eggsbake
slowlyand evenly, but enamelled cast iron dishes are popular too.
In individual dishes, the garnish is spread around the dish with
the eggs in the center. In one large dish, the garnish should be
spread around the dish with the eggsspaced evenly on top.
Cooking time varies very much with the type of dish and quantity
of garnish used with the eggs.
1 RIGHT: Butter the baking dishes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread
with garnish. Makea hollow inthe garnish ineach dish and drop an egg
into it. Add cream and coverthe eggs loosely with foil ifyou like.
2 Bake the eggs in a375°F/190°C oven until the egg white is set butthe
yolk isstill soft, 8-12 minutes.
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