Seasonal Recipe
Eggs au Gratin
Adapted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman (Wiley, 2007)
Serves 4
You can make this recipe straight away for dinner, and the most time-consuming part is waiting for the eggs to cook. Hard-boil the eggs ahead of time; make the bechamel sauce in advance; it'll come together in almost no time. You can serve this as a side dish to a substantial meal, or make it a meal in and of itself. Have a good loaf of bread and a fresh green salad handy, and Wednesday night dinner could hardly be simpler.
Ingredients:
- 8 eggs, hard-boiled
- 1-¼ cup milk, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 cup grated cheese (smoked Jack is especially good)
- ¼ cup minced parsley, for garnish
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Make the bechamel sauce. (You can do this up to two days in advance, if you like, and reheat it gently.) In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. When it stops foaming, add the flour, stirring occasionally until the roux becomes fragrant, but not darkened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, and place the sauce over medium heat to bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook, without boiling, until it thickens up like a thick cream soup. It should be just thin enough to pour, so add a bit of extra milk to thin as needed.
- Preheat the broiler. Use a bit of butter to grease a shallow baking pan or gratin dish, one just big enough to hold the eggs in a single layer. Pour half of the bechamel into the dish, spreading it around evenly. Peel the eggs and slice in half lengthwise, and arrange them in the sauce. Spoon the remaining suace over the top, and sprinkle the cheese over everything.
- Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve immediately.
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