STT 52: When in doubt, add an egg.

Eggs for dinner doesn't have to be a cop out. In fact, it can be a thing of beauty.

On Sundays, we eat eggs.

I’m coming to you from the Cotswolds, where, following the chaos of moving, I’ve snuck off to spend some quality time with my tiny family and parents, who are visiting from South Africa. It’s been a glorious few days eating, drinking wine and strolling through the countryside – I highly recommend.

Slow life in the Cotswolds

Unrelated to my Cotswolds jaunt, this week’s recipes are inspired by one of my favourite foods and fallbacks for dinner when I’ve gone too hard on seconds of Sunday roast, and sticky toffee pud. But we’re not just talking any old eggs for dinner, we’re talking making eggs the star of the show. There’s a time and a place for scrambled eggs on toast (VERY lazy sunday eves), but these are not those eggs. But they are equally as easy

First, we’ve got something that is slightly less about the recipe and more about the technique and that is The Easiest Poached Eggs Ever. I discovered this technique by way of Chef Adrienne Cheatham on Epicurious. I’m not being dramatic here, I promise, these really are the easiest poached eggs ever. Say goodbye to giants of pots of water and trying to get the spinning vortex of vinegar right. The trick is to allow the eggs to soak in a 1:1 ratio of water and vinegar before you add them to the poaching water. What this does is expedite the setting process that keeps the egg whites together, something that normally happens when you add vinegar to the poaching liquid. By doing this beforehand, you’re effectively reducing the risk of the whites separating and all that’s left to do then is cook the eggs in gently simmering water. I like to use a nice cheap spirit vinegar here - you are wasting money using anything else.

The rest of this recipe will be familiar to those who read my Polenta-themed newsletter a while ago, so I won’t go into too much detail again. What you need to know here is that a poached egg can make anything feel like an intentional meal, as it does with this polenta. Master these poached eggs and the world is your oyster. Add a poached egg to a bowl of simple steamed greens and cooked grains and you’ve got yourself a fancy little plate of food. If you find yourself with the odd ends of leftover roast veggies, a poached egg and a shaving of Parmesan can turn them into something satisfying. And think of the endless brunch-at-home options you’re opening yourself up to. Poached eggs, I love you.

Next up, we’ve got Crispy Fried Egg with Parsley Pesto and Beans. Crispy fried eggs have been trending for a while, but those tend to be the type cooked in a lot of oil, over a very high heat. This version is a simpler, more cheesy take. Instead of frying the eggs directly in the pan, you crack them over a generous grating of Parmesan. The cheese melts and develops this delicious crisp lacy texture while the egg gently cooks. Once you’ve got your desired cheesy crust around the egg, take the pan off the heat, cover with a lid and leave it until the yolk has cooked to your liking. Like the poached eggs above, this is a great way to zhuzh up any dish. I’d pop one of these over a bowl of cacio e pepe for a bit of added cosiness or even the odd bits of leftover roasted veggies we mentioned earlier.

However, in this recipe, the fried eggs show just how easy it is to turn a can of beans into a complete meal. Beans are having a well deserved moment and all you’re really doing here is adding a bit of broth, garlic, lemon and chilli with the beans and warming everything together to let the flavours meld. While that’s happening, you make a very simple ‘pesto’ by combining chopped parsley, lemon zest and Parmesan together. I think some people are intimidated by pesto, and sure, when made properly with peak season basil and pine nuts, it can be a thing of beauty. But if you break it down, it’s really just a herby sauce paste and something you can riff on fairly easily, as I’ve done here. I often have (wilting) parsley in the fridge, but you could just as easily do a mix of any soft herbs you have on hand. Dill and basil, of course, would be great here, but you could also sneak in some baby spinach if you needed to use it up.

And that’s that. Aromatic beans, cheat’s pesto and fancy fried eggs all come together to create a hearty dish I’d happily eat for dinner any night of the week. Both of these recipes show that eggs for dinner don’t have to be boring. In fact, if you plan ahead, you can have eggs for dinner intentionally in these delicious recipes.

Have a lovely week everyone!

Jess

Perfectly Crispy Parmesan Fried Egg with Brothy Beans and Parsley Pesto

A golden, lacy-edged fried egg with a crisp parmesan base, served over lemony butter beans and finished with a bright parsley pesto. Simple, satisfying, and perfect any time of day.