Herbed-Baked Eggs

Breakfast, French, Gluten-Free, Meatless / Friday, May 30th, 2008

Do you have the Barefoot Contessa fantasy?

The one where you come home to mammoth bouquets of freshly-picked, artfully arranged flowers. Tomato and feta salad packed into Chinese takeout containers. Picnics on the beach and fireside dinners. The perfect cocktail for every meal. A refrigerator filled with exotic cheeses, olives, and homemade lemon curd. And friends who are international experts in garden lighting and table settings.

You know, the fantasy where you’re the Contessa’s husband, Jeffrey.

Guilty as charged.

That’s why I was very excited to find the Barefoot Bloggers, a new group celebrating Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa. Twice a month, we’ll be cooking and baking from her books and Food Network recipes.

Today’s inaugural recipe was Herbed-Baked Eggs. Gratin dishes filled with eggs, cream, and butter, broiled with a crunchy topping of fresh herbs, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. I even got to use a little of my own freshly-grown basil. How Contessa is that?

Easy and really delicious.

So, I wouldn’t really trade places with Ina’s Jeffrey (those wool sweaters would rub me raw), but I’m looking forward to trying out these recipes with my Jeff. I might even spring for those cute Chinese takeout boxes. He’s worth it.

Herbed-Baked Eggs

Adapted from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot in Paris”

  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
  • 6 extra-large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  1. Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes, and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.
  2. Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley and Parmesan, and set aside.
  3. Carefully crack 3 eggs into each of 2 small bowls or teacups (you won’t be baking them in these) without breaking the yolks. (It’s important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)
  4. Place 2 individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter to each dish, and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
  5. Quickly, but carefully, pour 3 eggs into each gratin dish, and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
  6. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooked evenly.) Allow to set for 60 seconds, and serve immediately.

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30 thoughts on “Herbed-Baked Eggs”

  1. And I thought I was the only one that had that fantasy – I wish I could be that calm having dinner parties for oh say, 50 of my closest friends? Love her, but secretly I wish she would mess up sometimes to show that it happens to all of us.
    BTW – the eggs look delicious!

  5. I don’t know who the Barefoot Contessa is (yes, it is true) but these eggs look amazing! I LOVE breakfast concoctions like this. I might even try it… and try not to light the kitchen a’fire as I do. :)

  10. The contessa ALWAYS has a coctail. What would go with eggs?? Breakfast sangria… breakfast margaretas…

  13. Love Ina! I don’t think I have time for another group but I can’t wait to read about what you all make from her books.

  14. Your eggs turned out beautifully!! And yes, I’m definitely guilty as charged with the BC fantasy as well. lol

  15. I want to be Ina when I grow up. My son and I spent over 5 hours waiting in line to meet her at Indigo book store last spring. We were 8th and 9th in line. She is my favourite tv chef because she is the whole package – graceful, beautiful, confident and has a great marriage and a great home in the Hamptons as well as New York and Paris. Plus, like me, she spills things on her shirt and throws things into the sink. I have all of her books so far and am looking forward to the next one in the fall.

  17. I love you blog!! Thanks for the comment on my first challenge! I will have to check your blog now to see all the fun things you are doing!

  19. Ha, what a fantasy, one I am guilty of harboring occasionally. But what I want to know is how Jeff stays so trim!
    BTW, the eggs looks great!

  20. She’s my idol. Ina always looks so refreshed. Maybe its all that ocean air.
    I like the idea of cooking out of her book. I just love her whole philosophy.

    Thanks for another funny post!

  22. I have the fantasy…BAD! I just joined the barefoot bloggers…even though I’ve actually made almost all the recipes already (I’m a huge fan, let’s just say) I can’t wait to start blogging them! I LOVE the herbed baked eggs, yours look delicious!

  23. OMG I freakin’ love Ina. And I’ve dreamed of being Jefferey on various occasions. I make no bones about the fact I’d offer up hot s-x on a silver platter to Ina just to have her cook for me…I use to tell this to all my friends and they’d just roll their eyes at me. Whateves, a girl can dream!

    Her cookbooks are usually dynamite! Cool group, sadly I can’t commit to anything that is 2x a month but that blog is definitely bookmarked!

  24. I’ve been making Ina’s eggs for over a year now–totally amazing and simple. If you don’t have fresh herbs, you can also put a dollop of pesto (homemade from the freezer or store bought) in instead. I still add garlic and cheese, though. One of my favorite eggy things.

  25. I always watch her and lament loudly that she is not my friend in real life. But you have a point. Sans sweaters, Jeffrey has the best deal of all.

  26. I love baked eggs! I made them twice last week, but I never knew Ina Garten had a recipe. I’ll have to give it a try.

  28. I am hooked on her show, but if I cooked like that even half the time, I would soon be broke, obese, or have advanced heart disease.

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