Oeufs en cocotte, with their simple elegance, make a for a charming, nourishing breakfast and are well-suited to a variety of accompaniments: fresh herbs, raw milk cheeses, ham or bacon or even my favorite – homemade gravlax. Easily prepared in single-serving portions, oeufs en cocotte are perfect for those cooking for only themselves or for a very small family. On hectic mornings – which, I might add, is nearly every morning – it’s easy to crack an egg into a dish, season it and slide it into a waiting oven. By the time I’ve finished my shower, breakfast is ready. This is fast food – in the true meaning of the words and without the disturbing additives or discomforting ecological, economical and social impacts.
Eggs make for a good breakfast – packed with vitamin A, riboflavin, selenium and other micronutrients in beautiful combination with wholesome fats and protein. Better yet if your egg comes from a hen raised on pasture. Research into the nutritional composition conducted by the Weston A Price Foundation indicates that the yolk of a pasture-raised egg contains 8 times the vitamin A of a conventional, store-bought egg. It’s no wonder. An comparison of the yolks alone yields a remarkable story itself. The yolk of a pasture-raised egg will be a rich orange compared to a conventional egg which is pallid and dull by comparison. Remember, where there’s color and flavor, there’s nutrients.
In this recipe, I combine pasture-raised egg with pecorino romano cheese, unrefined celtic sea salt and home-cured gravlax. The gravlax, with its salty sweetness, adds a lovely richness to the dish and contributes much needed omega-3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA. Gravlax is a raw food – cured at home easily and, in the best tradition of real food, without complication. Wild-caught salmon or other oily fish combines with unrefined sugar, salt, fresh herbs and spices, is weighted down and allowed to cure in the fridge for a few days or up to a week before being served. Wary of cooking’s effect on fragile polyunsaturated fatty acids found in salmon, I prefer to serve my fish raw or cured.
When you’re rushed for time, consider the minimal effort and spectacular nutritional composition of this simple, wholesome dish. It takes only a few minutes, and is well worth it. If you don’t have gravlax on hand – and it’s likely you won’t as it’s not a regular feature in most kitchens – you can substitute purchased lox or smoked salmon, herbs or even ham or bacon.
Oeufs en Cocotte with Lox: The Recipe
This recipe serves 1; however, it is easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled … For a heartier breakfast, consider serving these eggs with buttered sprouted grain toast and fresh fruit or a tomato salad.
Quick and Easy Breakfast
- Oeufs en Cocotte with Lox and Herbs
- Rooibos Tea with Cream and Honey
- Sprouted Wheat Bread, Toasted and Buttered
- Fresh Peaches
Oeufs en Cocotte with Lox: The Ingredients
- 1 Egg from a Pasture-raised Hen
- 1 Tablespoon Raw Milk Artisan Cheese, Grated (see sources)
- 1 oz Lox, Smoked Salmon or Home-cured Gravlax, Chopped Fine
- 2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Herbs (Parsley and Chives work well for me)
- Unrefined Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste
- ½ Teaspoon Butter from Grass-fed Cows (see sources)
Oeufs en Cocotte with Lox: Instructions
- Butter a small 4-oz ramekin.
- Crack the egg and pour the contents into the buttered ramekin. Take care not to break the yolk.
- Add the lox to the dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese, herbs, salt and pepper to the egg.
- Bake in a water bath at 350º F until egg white is set, but the yolk is still runny or done to your liking. Baking takes approximately 12 – 15 minutes – just enough time for a nice long shower.
More from Nourished Kitchen
Looking for grass-finished beef or wild-caught fish? What about that exotic sourdough starter you’ve been after? Or water kefir grains? Check out the Nourished Kitchen Where to Buy List that outlines great companies that sell or support real and traditional foods.
Don’t forget: I’m not a doctor, I’m a mom who loves preparing wholesome, natural foods for her family and I enjoy sharing our reasons in choosing these nourishing foods. Read the
© Jenny for The Nourished Kitchen, 2009. |
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