Baked Eggs & Mushrooms in Ham Crisps

Seeking a breakfast-for-dinner inspiration one day, I found this recipe online. It was originally published in Gourmet Magazine, February 2002. I couldn’t wait to try it out, though I was a bit nervous what the final product would be like. Fortunately, it turned out really tasty. I've made it half a dozen times since for friends and family and it's always a hit! Mmm-mm!

HUGE thank you to Slashfood for featuring this post in theFeast Your Eyes column on their website! So awesome!



Baked Eggs & Mushrooms in Ham Crisps
Gourmet Magazine February 2002

3/4 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
12 slices Black Forest or Virginia ham
12 large eggs

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare mushrooms:
Cook mushrooms and shallot in butter with salt and pepper in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid they give off is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream or crème fraîche and thyme.

Assemble and bake:
Fit 1 slice of ham into each of 12 lightly oiled muffin cups (ends will stick up and hang over edges of cups).

Divide mushrooms among cups and crack 1 egg into each. Bake in middle of oven until whites are cooked but yolks are still runny, about 15 minutes. Season eggs with salt and pepper and remove (with ham) from muffin cups carefully, using 2 spoons or small spatulas.

Notes:

+ I thought it would be a good idea to add some cheese to the mushroom mix, so I included a tiny bit of shredded aged Australian cheddar before adding the egg.

+ As you can see, the cups were served with asparagus on the side, grilled with a drizzle of olive oil and a touch of salt and freshly-ground pepper.

+ The yolks usually turn out pretty well-done, though they look runny in the photos. I suggest baking for about 10 minutes and then checking for done-ness.

+ For 2 people, halve the recipe. Basically just eyeball the mushrooms and cook up 6 cups instead of 12.

+ You can experiment with the filling, if mushrooms aren't your thing. I've made this recipe with an "Italian" filling that includes drained diced tomatoes, Italian cheeses, and basil. Get creative!