I absolutely love eggs. They may be the main reason why my attempt a few years back at eating a completely plant based diet was never going to work. I much prefer the sound (and taste) of a plant-centred kinda diet with a few (read alot) of eggs and some creamy goat's cheese and maybe some delicious Irish butter popping up around the edges. I'm now in a happy vegetarian place and it feels so much more authentic. And don't roll you eyes at me being all authentic when it comes to food becuase it has to be said that it's my new favourite word. That's thanks to Brené Brown and I'm pretty much applying it to eveything at the moment so prepare for lots more authenticity coming your way. And if you don't know who Brené Brown is, give her Ted Talk a listen and prepare to become a fan.
But you know, there is a lesson in everything and my attempt at veganism thought me alot about cooking and eating. I love vegan food and I love a lot about vegan principles, even though it wasn't ultimately for me. It also thought me to accept that one person's fad diet is another person's very happy place. In fact I hate the phrase fad-diet, usually used by those who have a problem with how other people are eating. Sometimes that problem is very valid such as in the case of eating disorders. But very often in a world of 'shoutiness' on social media (is that a word as if it isn't, it should be) it's used by people trying to dismiss or belittle another's food choices. Instead, I say each to their own and remember, most people don't give a (insert expletive) what you do, so just eat in whatever way makes you happy.
And if Baked Eggs happen to make you happy, well I have a recipe for you. This week's Honest Project recipe is for Caramelised Onion and Leek Baked Eggs with Feta and Chilli Oil. Now we can have boiled eggs or scrambled eggs any day of the week and I'm pretty sure if you are reading a food blog that you already know how to make both. But my current favourite is baked eggs. You can really pack the flavour into these little ramekins of baked deliciousness if you give a little thought to your extras. For this recipe, I went full on with the flavour with caramelised onions and leeks to form the base of the dish, topped with eggs and feta and baked in the oven. Then serve with a drizzle of chili oil. Now that we are slap bang in the middle of Autumn and colder weather is on the way, we absolutely do need these type of yummy recipes to keep us sane. This fits the bill nicely.
Scroll on for the recipe for my Caramelised Onion and Leek Baked Eggs with Feta and Chilli Oil.
Baked Caramelised Onion & Leek Eggs with Feta and Chilli Oil
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
4 Medium siz eggs
1 white onion, finely sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, cruched
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
75g feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp chilli oil
Small handful of parsley
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or skillet over a low to medium heat. Add the onion and leek and reduce the heat and cook for ten minutes, stirring every few minutes. Add a pinch of salt and the red wine vinegar and cook for a further ten minutes over a low heat. Add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes. Taste and season as required. Remove from the heat.
Divide the onion and leek mixture between four greased ramekins lining the base of each ramekin with the mixture. Crack an egg into each ramekin. Top with a thin layer of crumbled feta cheese, making sure to cover the yoke of the egg with the feta to help stop it drying out during baking. Place the four ramekins on a baking sheet in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the egg is cooked and doesn't wobble when the tray is gently shaked.
To serve drizzle some chilli oil over the baked eggs and a little chopped fresh parsley. Enjoy on their own or with freshly baked bread.
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