company eggs for dinner
May 1, 2013 § 23 Comments
When I was a little girl I remember having a good laugh with my mom over our neighbor’s salad spinning technique. After washing her lettuce she would put it in a pillow case, take it outside and spin it around and around like a propellor. The water would spin off brilliantly! She would spin a few times, stop, shake the lettuce a little, then spin again until she had perfectly clean, dry lettuce. It was a comical site to see. When I grew up I purchased a really spiffy salad spinner. I used it, however, it took up an enormous amount of space in my small kitchen. One day, by accident, I dropped the spinner and the bowl cracked in half. Left without a choice that evening I turned to the pillow case spinning. I was stunned. It worked beautifully. I was laughing as I spun and spun. Needless to say, I did not replace my salad spinner. I have a pillow case in my kitchen towel drawer specifically for my greens. You may want to try it for the swiss chard in this recipe…
The other day I opened up the latest issue of Bon Appetite magazine and saw a beautifully photographed baked swiss chard and egg recipe. I have been seeing a lot of gloriously baked dinners with eggs on top. Loving eggs as we do in our family, I have been cracking them on top of thick creamy soups, baking them on pizzas and now….casseroles. This is not your usual company egg recipe. The company egg recipes I have read are more like a frittata; scrambled eggs combined with cheese and mixed with other ingredients, then baked until firm. Swiss chard is abundantly in season right now and suddenly I knew what we were going to have for dinner that night.
When I stopped at the market to buy the swiss chard, I picked up a delightful aged white cheddar. I imagine a typical cheddar would be fine in this recipe, however, the flavor of this mature cheddar was extraordinary. When I make this recipe again I will use 4 bunches of swiss chard. I felt the “bed” the eggs laid on was a little thin. The original recipe used 12 eggs. With three of us around our table I only used 4 eggs. Add more according to your appetite and number of gathered guests. I used half and half instead of heavy cream, only because that is what I had in the refrigerator. I served our company eggs with warm naan and roasted beets topped with garden fresh chives.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- sprinkling of sea salt and pepper
- 2 bunches Swiss chard, thick center ribs and stems removed, washed, dried and coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ounces aged white cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Method
Preheat oven to 400°. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5-8 minutes. Add chard to the skillet by the handful, tossing to wilt between additions. Cook until tender, 5-8 minutes. Add half and half, simmer until thickened and almost evaporated. Place your chard mixture evenly in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Using the back of a spoon, make evenly spaced divots in the chard mixture. Crack 1 egg into each divot. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Sprinkle your cheddar all over. Bake, rotating dish once, until egg whites are almost set and yolks are still a bit runny, 15-18 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving while the eggs set.
Served 3
buon appetite.
COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE 
I am so going to try the pillowcase spinning technique. I have never bought a salad spinner, don’t know why just hand dry with paper towels. I like the pillowcase idea, it’s brilliant. Your eggs are wonderful, I love baking eggs never tried chard with them before. Sounds absolutely delicious.
I think you’ll never use paper towels again after your try the pillow case! :) Even tonight I spun our romaine and I do giggle every time I spin greens….in a pillow case! The eggs and chard was amazing Suzanne. And so simple.
Hahaha, I can’t manage without a salad spinner, it’s difficult with a pillow case when you live in an apartment! I love the eggs baked on chard idea.
True! I have lived in my share of apartments…but, that was when I had a salad spinner. :)
I just love eggs baked in too! Actually, they can be poached or fried –it’s delicious on almost anything. :) Lovely post.
I agree. I am really enjoying eggs these days on all kinds of dishes. Thank you for your comment.
Interesting way to wash you lettuce ;) Never had such meal before, absolutely trying it – thanks for sharing!
Your welcome… I would love to see YOU do a photo spread on this meal. I’m one of your biggest fans! :)
I love this recipe. Your photos are absolutely beautiful!
daisy
thank you. did you see it in BA magazine? delicious recipe…
Bahaaa, what a brilliant technique! I don’t normally ‘spin’ my lettuce (I sort of shake it off a bit then just leave it moist) but the idea of spinning a pillow case makes me want to start! Thanks for sharing this recipe. The swiss chard sounds delicious (I LOVE swiss chard and any other dark leafy greens… so good for you) xo
It is quite a site to see….spinning a pillow case! No doubt you will chuckle if you give it a whirl. :)
After you visited my blog I checked out your lovely recipes and as we have an abundance of rainbow chard in the veggie patch I made your Company Eggs. With some home made spelt bread they were absolutely delicious – thanks! (ps. I didn’t bother to wash the chard so can’t comment on spinner v pillow case :)
I am so pleased to hear you made the company eggs! I wish I could take full credit for the deliciousness of this dish. I found it in Bon Appetite and just had to share it! Well, maybe the pillowcase will come in handy sometime in the future! :) Thank you for your kind comment. I love Ruby!
I can tell we are going to be fast friends. :) This is another Ottolenghi favorite of mine: http://emmycooks.com/2012/07/28/baked-eggs-with-greens-yogurt-and-spiced-butter/
Ps I LOVE my salad spinner, but if it ever breaks I will definitely give your method a “whirl” :)
Oh my goodness those baked eggs sound delicious! I am definitely going to make it. Looking forward to sifting through your recipes. Finally got home with a moment to spare. :)
I love that story about the pillow case! I use my trusty salad spinner every day, but I should do this while visiting my in-laws!
Also the meal looks amazing!
Thank you. Isn’t that a funny way to dry your lettuce? It works, for sure. :)
Lovely recipe – I love that you served these eggs with warm naan and a beet salad – so many of my beloved foods in one meal! I will have to put a pillowcase in a kitchen drawer…
Isn’t that pillowcase method hilarious. I still laugh when I use it. Thank you for all your kind comments this morning Shanna. (do you pronounce it Shawna?) I do but my spelling is Seana.
My name is pronounced Shanna (soft a). The spelling of your name is lovely! I love the pillowcase method – not only the sweetest memory but clearly very efficient! :-)
Hello mate great bblog post