Oeufs En Cocette, or eggs in a dish (ramekins in this case) as it literally translates from French into English, is an absolutely stunning brunch dish. Each egg dish is individually portioned and versatile enough to include any flavour profile or ingredient you want. The Oeufs En Cocette recipe included below was recently part of my Easter Brunch menu. As I wanted the flavours of spring to shine through, it includes smoked ham, gruyère cheese, fresh spring peas and fresh chives. All ingredients were seasonal and combined perfectly for the occasion.
Often, when I have company staying over or I am hosting a late morning lunch or brunch, I will serve Oeufs En Cocette. It's an easy dish to make and all of the ingredients can be prepped the evening before. Oeufs En Cocette looks elegant, with individual ramekins on each table setting. For a rustic feel, serve the eggs with thick torn chunks of crusty bread or for a more chic approach serve with a lightly dressed frisée salad.
Another version of this egg dish I like to make in the summer is tomato (fresh cherry or grape tomatoes are amazing) and goat cheese with fresh thyme or za'atar. For fall, earthy cumin and diced squash would also be a fabulous combo with eggs.
As often as I can, I like to purchase my eggs direct from local farms. The eggs pictured here are from Neufeld's Farm in the Fraser Valley. Not only are the eggs fresh, but the yolk is a gorgeous bright orange colour.
Depending on how you like your eggs cooked, you might need to alter the cooking time of your dish. This will vary egg to egg and oven to oven. In my oven, the eggs took about 16 - 18 minutes for the whites to set and the yolks to be semi-runny. If you like runny eggs, I would start checking your cocettes at the 15 minute mark.
Brunching at the moment, is not an option due to world self-isolating practices however when we are able to gather with friends and family once again, I hope you try to make these elegant, simple and oh so tasty Oeufs En Cocotte. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Check out other recipes from my Easter Brunch menu in the Archives.
Take care and stay healthy,
Krista
Oeufs En Cocette
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter, softened to grease 4, 8-10 oz ramekins
4-6 tablespoons diced thick cut smoked ham
1/2 cup thickly shredded gruyère cheese (this is 8 tablespoons)
4 eggs, room temperature
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons cream (I used 2%, buttermilk would also be nice here)
4 teaspoons fresh spring peas (frozen petit pois - the small peas - will work here too)
chives, minced to garnish
Method
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and position oven racks in the middle setting.
Grease 4 ramekins with softened butter.
In each ramekin add 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons ham, 1 teaspoon peas and 1 tablespoon gruyère cheese. With hands, make a well in the centre of each ramekin (image below). This will allow the egg to stay in the centre of the ramekin while it cooks and not slip to one side.
Crack each egg individually into a small bowl, careful not to break the yolk. Gently slide the egg from the bowl into the centre well of each ramekin. Repeat with three remaining eggs.
Add salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon of cream and 1 additional tablespoon of shredded gruyère cheese to each ramekin.
To bake, create a bain marie (see image below & Recipe Note)) by adding ramekins to a 9"X13" baking pan. Place pan on the oven rack and pour 1" of already boiled water (from a kettle) into the pan. Close oven door quickly.
Bake for 15-20 minutes depending on how runny you like your eggs. Start checking after 15 minutes or when the whites set and the yolks begin to cook. The time will vary depending on your preference, the eggs and oven.
Once cooked to desired doneness, remove ramekins from bain marie pan with tongs (be careful not to burn yourself) and allow to cool for 5 minutes on a cooling rack. Garnish with freshly cracked pepper and chives. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes:
*A bain marie is the French term for a hot water bath. This process or style of cooking is used to cook delicate foods such as custards, crème brûlée and eggs slowly, by creating an even heat source (the water vs uneven air patches) around the ramekin or vessel. This cooking style should also keep the dish creamy without over drying the top and the edges of the eggs.
*If using bigger ramekins, add 2 eggs per ramekin and double the other recipe ingredients. Cooking times will also increase.
