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Consider this: the best baked eggs never require an oven. During recipe development, realizing that using a cover produces a humid atmosphere for cooking the egg tops, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg with firm whites and a warm, runny yolk. The harsh, arid temperature from baking is much more aggressive than steam, typically causing to dehydrate ingredients resulting in firm yolks. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, though feel free to experiment. The first features an easy coconut turmeric blend, whereas the spicy sausage sauce is a riff on classic tomato-baked eggs, essentially, spicy tomato eggs.

Golden Coconut Sauce Steamed Eggs (featured)

Preparation 10 min
Cooking time 55 minutes
Serves 2

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, skinned and diced
Sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Golden spice
½ tbsp cumin seeds
Aromatic leaves
200ml coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Fresh eggs
Green chilies, julienned, as garnish

Use a heavy skillet at moderate-high temperature. Add a shot of olive oil, incorporate onions seasoned with salt, fry until softened. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, let them sizzle, occasionally stirring briefly, add coconut milk and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, let it simmer for 30-35 minutes, until thick and golden. Add salt to taste, mix in fresh basil.

Use the back of a spoon making four indentations in the sauce, add eggs individually. Sprinkle the top of each egg with salt, place a lid on the pan, simmer over low heat briefly, when whites are cooked and yolks warmed. Remove from heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Baked Eggs

Prep 10 min
Cooking time 45 min
Yields 2

Oil
Merguez sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Salt
4 eggs
Pickled peppers, roughly chopped
Chopped herbs, minced
Creamy yogurt
1 lemon, wedge-cut, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium heat. Pour in oil once hot, peel sausages forming small bits adding to pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Lower temperature, brown the meat slowly, releasing flavorful oils. Stir merguez as they cook, so they colour on all sides.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, adjust to moderate flame and cook, stirring, for several minutes, until aromatic, and garlic softens. Tip in the tomatoes, season with salt let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer cooking gently for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, become richer and darker, with oils separating and surfacing.

Employ utensil forming wells in the sauce, break eggs in. Dust with salt lightly salted, place lid on pan. Heat for minutes over a low heat, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, top with pickled peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and oil splash, with lemon on side.