Rachel Khoo: The Great British Bake Oeuf

Baked eggs are one of life’s great pleasures. My original The Little Paris Kitchen recipe was popular with many readers, who took to Twitter to comment. My ‘oeufs en cocotte’ called for a fancy bain marie bake and were adorned with delicate lumpfish roe and draped dill sprigs. These eggs get a more rough and rustic treatment, exactly what you want for a relaxed weekend brunch. Just add plenty of buttered toast.

Peperonata and goat’s curd baked eggs

Makes 4

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced

Sea salt

2 red Romano peppers

150g cherry tomatoes

5 piquillo peppers, drained

2 tbsp sherry vinegar

Pinch of brown sugar

Freshly ground black pepper

80g goat’s curd, or other soft

goat’s cheese

4 medium eggs

To garnish:

A few flowery herb tops (optional)

Put the rapeseed oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Once hot, add the red onions and a pinch of sea salt and cook over a low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until soft and sticky but not brown.

Preheat the oven to 200C. In the meantime, slice the Romano peppers in half lengthways and remove and discard the seeds and core. Slice into 1cm strips horizontally, add to the onions and cook for a further 5 minutes. Cut the tomatoes in half and add to the peppers and onions. Roughly chop the piquillo peppers and add to the pan along with the vinegar and sugar. Cook for 1 minute. Season with black pepper to taste.

Butter 4 large ovenproof ramekins. Divide the pepper mixture (peperonata) between the ramekins and dollop a spoonful of the goat’s curd into each one. Use the back of a spoon to make a light indent in the centre, then crack an egg into each ramekin. Sprinkle with extra seasoning. Transfer to a large baking tray and place in the centre of the preheated oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the whites have set. Garnish with flowery herb tops, if liked, to serve.