Shirred eggs explained

baked egg
Alternate Name:Baked eggs
Œufs cocotte
Country:France
Main Ingredient:Eggs
Variations:Eggs

Shirred eggs, also known as baked eggs, are eggs that have been baked in a flat-bottomed dish; the name originates from the type of dish in which it was traditionally baked. Shirred eggs are considered a simple and reliable dish that can be easily varied and expanded upon. An alternative way of cooking is to crack the eggs into individual ramekins, and cook them in a water bath, creating the French dish .

Description

Shirred eggs are eggs that have been baked in a gratin dish with a flat bottom. Traditionally, they have been cooked in a dish called a shirrer, from which the dish gets its name,[1] but the name now applies regardless of the type of dish in which they are baked. They differ from , which are baked in a ramekin sitting in a bain-marie, or water bath.[2] They are typically baked simply with butter until the whites have set and the yolks are thickened, and are usually served in the dish in which they were baked.[3]

Variations on the recipe include adding breadcrumbs or cheese to the top of the eggs to create a crust, or garnishing with herbs such as tarragon.[2] Adding a protein such as fish to the dish has also been suggested by chefs to round it out sufficiently to make it suitable as a dinner-time option.[4] Another variation suggested by the United States Department of Agriculture during the 1920s was to break the eggs into a bed of cooked rice.[5]

Shirred eggs have also been compared to eggs Benedict; chef James Ramsden has described them as a more reliable and simpler recipe.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Meritt Farmer, Fannie. Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. 1896. Weathervane Books. New York. 9780517177402. 94.
  2. Book: Simmons, Marie. The Good Egg. 2000. Houghton Mifflin Co.. Boston. 9780395909911. 84.
  3. Book: Gillette, Fanny. Ziemann, Hugo . The White House Cookbook. 1996. Chronimed Pub.. Minneapolis. 9781565610835. 181.
  4. Web site: Graves. Helen. One-Pot Winter Warmers: Baked eggs with smoked mackerel. AOL Lifestyle. 20 February 2012. 30 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120224135115/http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/2012/02/20/baked-eggs-with-smoked-mackerel/. 24 February 2012.
  5. News: Shirred Eggs Always Good. 8. 30 March 2012. The Pueblo Indicator. 30 June 1928.
  6. Web site: Ramsden. James. Valentine's baked eggs. 8 February 2012. 8 February 2012 . www.jamesramsden.com. 30 March 2012.