Tomato eggs

Nothing like a dreary, cold Chicago morning to stir up a desire for some warm, gooey-centered breakfast. I discovered this recipe in the fabulous Silver Spoon ages ago, and it's been a favourite of David's for some time. It's a favourite of mine because it's exceedingly easy and makes next to no mess, save for one ramekin.The original recipe is also quite healthy, with no butter or other fat products, just a spot of olive oil, a tomato, an egg and some herbs. D has since requested a less-than-healthy addition of bacon; however, that can be omitted depending on your taste and fat sensibilities.

Recipe

adapted from The Silver SpoonServes 11 tomato1 egg1/2 tbsp olive oildash of oreganosalt & pepperhalf a slice of bacon (optional) Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat the bottom of a ramekin with olive oil. Scoop out the insides of the tomato with a spoon. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and turn upside down on a paper towel to try and remove excess moisture from the tomato. If including bacon, place the slice at the bottom of the tomato. Sprinkle in oregano and pepper and place the tomato in the ramekin. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes. Then, remove ramekin from oven and crack an egg in the tomato. Return to the oven for another 15 minutes or until the egg has set to the desired consistency.

Musings

David has always said that one of the reasons he loves this dish is because the egg sort of disintegrates when you start eating, so it almost feels like a tomato soup. I usually serve it with a bit of toast, which D delights in using to mop up the runny egg-tomato amalgamation. D comments that it also feels light, and that he doesn't feel heavy or fatty after it (which can sometimes happen after a smorgasbord of pancakes, eggs and bacon or something like that). This recipe is also nice because it can be jazzed up depending on one's mood--instead of bacon, throwing in some chopped garlic and onion, or perhaps a few slices of olives, or some hot peppers if you're looking for a wake-up call.