Forget the quintessential British breakfast of baked beans on toast. This superfancy egg preparation looks fantastic and tastes even better, offering the rich, earthy flavors of Marmite and mushrooms. The recipe is adapted from The Marmite Cookbook by Paul Hartley (Absolute Press 2003).
Makes 4 servings
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped (reserve 4 whole slices for garnish)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons Marmite
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon milk
4 jumbo eggs
4 pieces whole-grain toast
Butter and Marmite for spreading
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan until it begins to foam. Add the shallots and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until transparent. Add the mushrooms, nutmeg, the remaining butter and Marmite. Season with a few grinds of pepper. Turn the heat to low and cook gently 8 to 10 minutes, until the mixture is dark and thick.
Stir 1 tablespoon of the yogurt into the mushroom mixture. Divide among four 4-ounce ramekins. Make an indentation in the mushroom mixture and break an egg into each ramekin. Thin the remaining yogurt with the milk, adding more as needed, and divide among the ramekins, spreading gently over the eggs with the back of a spoon. Decorate each ramekin with a reserved slice of mushroom.
Stand the ramekins in a roasting pan filled 1/4-inch high with boiling water. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until whites are completely cooked.
Serve with whole-wheat toast, spread with butter and Marmite, and sliced into strips, or "soldiers," as the Brits call them.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDM3NjYwMjA5MDE1MjA1MzQ1NDk1N2ZmZQ004))