~ "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; Through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." ~ "Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing" ~ "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." ~ "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."~

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Nests of Eggs...or Nids d'oeufs


French Egg Nests...with Gruyere Cheese I love, love eggs....and I really don't take it for granted that I'm not allergic to them. I am very, very thankful. Fresh eggs are most always in the fridge...
During the week we usually have a light breakfast. But when Saturday morning rolls around....well, things change a bit:). That's when we look forward to having eggs... sunny-side up eggs, scrambled, poached, etc. Lately we've been enjoying some duck and goose eggs as well...which has been really nice. Actually, I've come to love duck eggs most...it's become my favorite.
I like to vary the way I cook the eggs, so I am always looking for new and inventive ways to prepare them. When I saw this recipe on Elise's blog, I thought it was such a neat idea! I've done egg nests before... usually in a muffin tin with ham and cheese...or hash browns as a base. But these egg nests used the white of the egg as its own "nest"... and I just loved the idea. I loved the idea not only because it was rather unique, but because I could file this recipe for future use... for those days when I have guests that are on a gluten-free/ low carb diet. A great recipe to have on hand.  
In any case, I quickly made this dish the same day I saw it....and the following day:). The first time I made it, I basically stuck to the original recipe... and used a tad bit more cheese. The next time I made it, I folded in some chopped chives in the beaten egg whites along with the cheese. I then formed the egg nests and placed some extra cheese in the middle of the nest. The extra cheese melted nicely and made the yolk seem even creamier. I am sure you can use other types of cheese to make this dish.... You can also get creative by folding in various other ingredients in the beaten egg whites... but it's best not to overdo any additions, as a little goes a long way. You can also add various herbs...or even some chopped ham/bacon.
So I thought to pass this recipe along... as we quite enjoyed it. The egg seems to double in quantity when you cook it this way... you can have 1 egg instead of 2, and still feel like you've eaten 2:). While it's fun eating the egg just the way it's presented in this post, you can also get creative by  using it on top of quite a few dishes...from tomato-based dishes to braised vegetables, or simply over some hash browns/polenta/grits etc.
Originally from a French children's cookbook, the recipe is quite simple to prepare and I think a great way to vary the Saturday morning breakfasts. Perfect for large groups, as you can make quite a few at a time....and then just bring it to the table. We simply loved this dish. A fun twist to the classic sunny-side-up eggs. Hope you enjoy...

Tip: It is important that you gently fold the cheese into the stiff egg whites.  

You will need: adapted from Simply Recipes

2 ex-large eggs
1/3-1/2 cup lightly packed grated Gruyere cheese*
pinch of salt
chives, optional
* I used the larger grater to grate the cheese, so when I placed it in a measuring cup it was 1/2 cup...I weighed it and it was about 1 ounce. The original recipe uses 1/4 cup of cheese, I felt it needed a bit more:)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 deg. F

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside.
2. Break and separate eggs.
3. Place the egg whites and salt in a mixer bowl.
4. Whip egg whites till stiff peaks form.
5. Fold in Gruyere cheese, being careful not to deflate whites.
6. Divide the egg whites into 2 mounds and place on parchment paper.
7. Shape the mounds to look like nests.
8. Using the back of the spoon make an indentation in the middle of the nest. You can add extra cheese in the middle if you like, or even a few extra "strands" of grated cheese all over.
9. Place baking sheet in a preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 3 minutes.
10. Remove pan and gently place the egg yolk in the middle of the nest. Bake for an additional 3 minutes. Top with chives if desired.

13 comments:

Alina---Explora Cuisine said...

Perfect for breakfast! they look awesome! I am allergic to eggs ever since I was small, but if the eggs are boiled and mixed up in creams and stuff, I don't have any issues...if I eat the boiled yolk, now that's a different story :) but either way, I still eat eggs, I couldn't stop eating them :) Hope you're having a great day!

Jacquie said...

The minute I saw the picture of this adorable nest of eggs, I knew it would have to be my dinner! So easy to make and delicious! Thank you for posting these great recipes, I so enjoy your blog!

Ellie said...

Alina, Wow, I am amazed that you still eat eggs...I am wondering if I would do the same if I was allergic:). Glad you can have them in sweets and things. Thnaks for stopping by and have a great day as well.

Jacquie, Aww...I am so glad you enjoyed it! Funny thing is that I had it for dinner the same day I saw it as well:)... which is why the plates looked a little cloudy from lack of light. But thanks so much for your feedback, and for you kind comment. Means a great deal!

Annie said...

I am following you now, thanks to the fabulous Jacquie! The recipe looks amazing, I will try it!

Speranta said...

Merita incercata reteta...
Imi place foarte mult!
Frimoasa prezentare :)

Ellie said...

Annie, Thanks for stopping by...and welcome:)! I am hoping you will like the egg nests. A simple and quick dish to prepare...and deliciouas, too.

Speranta,
Sper sa iti placa si tie...pentruca chiar merita de incercat:)! Este buna asi usoara....merci pentru vizita. O zi binecuvantata.

Penny said...

Just found your blog Ellie while perusing recipes for Thomas Keller's Potato Pave. Love it and will be making this egg dish soon!

Ellie said...

Penny, Hope you enjoy it! ...and thanks for stopping by. The potato pave is yet another great recipe...really delicious:).

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

My blogger friend, Cathy, just posted your egg recipe, so I had to come over to see your blog. I will be back often. I love your recipes. Susan (in Montana for the summer)

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

No, no, I am sorry...my friend Penny posted the eggs.

Ellie said...

Susan, so glad you stopped by....hope you enjoy your visit here on the blog, as well as in Montana:).
Glad Penny liked the eggs as well:)... they are super easy to make, and something different:).

Lauren said...

Just found your site whilst looking for a good Cilbir recipe and I'm already in love! I totally got [daddy points] last night because within 10 minutes of walking in the door I'd whipped up a dinner of smoked sausage with grainy mustard, chopped salad, and a variation of these little beauties!
::Substituted gorgonzola, not wanting to open our gruyere + (due to impatience and not wanting to heat up the whole oven for 2 little eggs) microwaved the whites for 30seconds with a 5 second break halfway through (unnecessary?) and then broiled the completed nests until golden:: They were PERFECT! I also found that rye toast compliments them nicely. Dad kept saying "man... these are REALLY GOOD! ...you're gonna make a wonderful wife one day!" =) Thank you so much!

Ellie said...

Oh Lauren, I agree with your Dad...you will make a WONDERFUL wife one day:)! Smoked sausage and eggs will always make my husband happy:).
So glad you had fun making these egg nests for dinner... your version sounds absolutely delicious!
I LOVE how you made the recipe work for you,... wise in using what you already had open... brave in using the microwave:)... and creative in to pairing the meal with rye bread. Beautifully done, Lauren!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your feedback...so appreciate it! Have a blessed day!