Turmeric Coconut Curry and Merguez Ragu: Ben Lippett's Baked Eggs Cooking Methods
Consider this: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. Through culinary experiments, I found that simply adding a lid produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, resulting in perfectly cooked delicately prepared egg with a tender white and flowing center. The harsh, arid temperature in conventional ovens acts stronger than steam, typically causing making dishes dry and harden the yolk. Here are two sauce options as inspiration, but get creative. Option one involves a straightforward coconut turmeric blend, and the second offers a merguez ragu reimagines classic tomato-baked eggs, essentially, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce.
Golden Coconut Sauce Baked Eggs (pictured above)
Prep 10 minutes
Cooking time Just under an hour
Yields Two people
Olive oil
One medium onion, skinned and diced
Salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
Turmeric powder
Cumin seeds
6-8 curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Fresh basil, and additional for topping
Four eggs
2 green finger chillies, finely sliced, for serving
Use a heavy skillet on a medium-high heat. Add a shot of olive oil, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, sauté for several minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, leave to sizzle, stirring occasionally for a few minutes, then tip in the coconut milk and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, allow to cook slowly for 30-35 minutes, when sauce is rich and yellow. Season with salt, incorporate basil.
With a spoon’s back to create four little pockets across the base, break eggs into each. 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. Turn off stove, garnish with more basil and sliced chilies, ready to enjoy.
Merguez Ragu and Pickled Peppers Steamed Eggs
Preparation 10 min
Cook 45 minutes
Yields 2
Olive oil
Spicy lamb sausages
1 tbsp harissa
Toasted cumin
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Canned tomatoes
Salt
4 eggs
Pickled peppers, roughly chopped
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
1 lemon, wedge-cut, for serving
Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot over medium flame. Add two tablespoons of olive oil once hot, take off sausage casings forming small bits into the skillet, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, cook until golden, releasing flavorful oils. Move sausage pieces during cooking, to brown evenly.
When golden, mix in spices and garlic to the pot, adjust to moderate flame and cook, stirring, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, salt to taste and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to low and leave to blip away about 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, as oils separate.
With a spoon forming wells across base, break eggs in. Dust with salt with salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for two to three minutes on low flame, until the whites are set with yolks runny.
Turn off stove, finish with chopped pickled peppers, parsley and yogurt, plus oil drizzle, and serve with lemon wedges.
