Breakfast in Bed: Shirred Eggs

Shirred Eggs - Weird name, amazing and easy breakfast.

Daniel and I have had this tradition of breakfast in bed on the weekends for as long as I can remember. It’s something we look forward to all week. Leisurely Saturday and Sunday mornings with Rick Steve’s travel show, coffee and something to eat. Sometimes we are lazy and it is just toast for him and a frozen croissant for me (Whole Foods has great frozen mini pain au chocolate), but other times I put a teeny bit of effort into it and we have shirred eggs, bacon, and fruit or something like that. But like most things I make, this recipe was born out of the desire to make something in our little toaster oven so I don’t have to go up to the main kitchen. I should mention, it was inspired by an episode of Brunch w/ Bobby on HGTV, which I highly recommend for some afternoon cooking show watching.

First, a little prep work to make the morning as easy (and close to room service) as possible:

• Make coffee - we try to set the coffee maker up the night before so all we have to do is push the button (during the week we set it on a timer). If I am feeling a latte, I will make our Nespresso’s while the eggs are cooking.

• Line your ramekins with sliced ham or prosciutto and pop them into the oven as it preheats (more on this below)

• Get your tray ready - I have accumulated several trays over the past few years of different sizes. Given that we have a queen-sized bed and usually two pups in the morning, I try to use the smallest tray so we have the most space, but it depends on how ambitious my menu is that morning. Some things to include on your tray:

  • Insulated French Press or Coffee Carafe - The absolute best part of room services is getting to sit in bed, needing to get up for nothing once you sign that room service bill. Having something to keep your coffee warm and on the tray is crucial to this!

  • Anything you need to go with your coffee. In the dollar section at Target last year I picked up a mini cream & sugar set. I use the little cream pitcher to hold enough skim milk with a few dots of honey for my couple cups of coffee. Whatever you take in your coffee, put it in a nice little jar or cream pitcher. It makes your tray prettier than a whole bottle of CoffeeMate.

  • A linen napkin or two - I recently picked up a pretty cornflower blue set at World Market (the best place to buy plan linen napkins if you are building your own collection, $10 for 6!)

  • Whatever silverware makes sense for your breakfast - for us, this is usually a spoon for my coffee and two forks. If we’re having just toast, I leave out the forks and just grab a butter knife.

  • Any jams, butter, etc. - Daniel requires peanut butter, Nutella, and jam for his morning toast. I just like butter. Sometimes I pull out mini Bonne Maman jars to get that room service vibe.

  • Cups & plates - I love using a cup with a saucer, it just makes me feel a little like Blair Waldorf (but I can’t find her gorgeous coffee service anywhere!). Right now I am using a “vintage” Williams-Sonoma set, but I love these, these, and this one right now. I also set out Daniel’s Corkcicle mug, two plates for our shirred eggs’ ramekins (with a paper napkin on each because of how hot they are when they come out of the oven makes me feel the need to add that), and the bowl of fruit or whatever else we are having.

  • Whatever else makes it feel like a luxurious breakfast in bed! Sometimes I add a bud vase with a pretty flower; some mornings, I am feeling a mimosa in one of these très chic French wine glasses.

Now that your tray is ready, you are ready to make your shirred eggs! Like always, use the best, freshest eggs you can, and don’t be afraid to swap things out for what you have on hand (see “Notes” after the recipe). The first time I made this, I was just using up leftover odds and ends.

Shirred Eggs

Ingredients:

• 1-2 eggs per person (and size of your ramekins)

• 4-5 tablespoons of heavy cream (this is the one thing you cannot substitute and get the same results)

• 1/4 cup shredded cheese (give or take; you can use pretty much anything that you like here. I have really been enjoying this with a hard, aged gouda or thick-shredded extra-sharp cheddar)

• 2 slices of quality ham or prosciutto

• Salt & Pepper (per usual, I use Trader Joe’s garlic salt, but if you can’t buy that brand, stick to regular salt)

To Make:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Line your oven-safe ramekins with slices of ham or prosciutto. I usually just do the sides, but you can line the bottom if you like. You just want a single layer and it should stick to the sides. Pop them in the oven while it preheats.

2. After 2-3 minutes, check on them, the meat should have tightened up a little. If they have, carefully use potholders to remove them and set them on a cutting board. If they haven’t yet, give them another 1-2 minutes and check on them again. Remove when ready.

3. Carefully crack your eggs and add 1-2 to each ramekin.

4. Sprinkle eggs with cheese and salt and pepper.

5. Carefully pour heavy cream over the eggs. You just want enough to partly cover the yolks of your eggs.

6. Carefully, using pot-holders again because they are likely still hot, return the now-full ramekins to the oven.

7. Bake for 7-10 minutes. You will know they are done when they puff up like a souffle. Once they do this, remove them immediately! If you want running yoke eggs, you can remove them a little before.

8. Place on your paper napkin lined plates and carry that tray back to bed!

9. Enjoy with your favorite weekend show or a good book.

Notes:

• Ramekins - If you don’t have a few, I highly recommend getting an oven-safe set. Especially if you are often cooking for just one or two. They can be used for all kinds of small-recipe desserts, breakfast items, or warming up leftovers that are best in the oven (like mac n cheese!). A few 6 or 8 oz ones are all you need.

  And if you need an extra incentive, this week I will be putting out a stove-less, so easy Creme Brulée for two recipe that will need them!

• Once you get the hang of this, you definitely won’t need a recipe, but please, please do improv based on what you have. Some variations I suggest:

  • Thin-sliced smoked turkey and add some finely chopped fresh rosemary with your cheese;

  • Honeyed ham with fresh thyme and parmesan;

  • Add a few little quartered cherry tomatoes when you add the meat in the beginning;

  • Make it a la Florentine with a little thinly sliced spinach under the egg;

There really are endless options! Anyone can make this and I hope you will try it! Its the perfect way to start a slow, leisurely morning with your favorite human, favorite pet, or favorite book.