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Consider this: the best baked eggs don’t ever hit the oven. When testing these recipes, discovering that covering the pan generates steam to cook the top of the eggs, resulting in perfectly cooked perfectly poached egg with a tender white plus liquid yolk. The intense, dry heat from baking proves harsher than steam, and has a tendency making dishes dry resulting in firm yolks. Presenting two flavorful bases as a jumping-off point, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward golden coconut sauce, while the merguez ragu is a riff on classic tomato-baked eggs, or, to the likes of you and me, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Prep A quick 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 min
Yields Two people

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Salt
Two garlic cloves, minced garlic
Fresh ginger root, grated ginger
Turmeric powder
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
A few basil leaves, with more for garnish
Four eggs
Fresh chilies, finely sliced, to serve

Use a heavy skillet over medium-high flame. Add a shot of olive oil, toss in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, allow to cook, stirring occasionally briefly, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Let it bubble, lower heat to gentle cook, let it simmer about 35 minutes, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Add salt to taste, then stir in the basil leaves.

Employ a utensil making four indentations within the sauce, break eggs into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid, gently heat for a few minutes, when whites are cooked with yolks still runny. Turn off stove, finish with a few extra basil leaves and thinly sliced finger chillies, and serve.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cook 45 min
Yields 2

Olive oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
Tomato base
Salt
4 eggs
Tangy peppers, diced
Chopped herbs, diced
3 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt
1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Heat a skillet over medium flame. Drizzle olive oil and, once it’s warm, take off sausage casings and break off pieces into the skillet, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, cook until golden, extracting spicy fats. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan as they cook, for even browning.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic to the pan, turn up the heat to medium sauté while stirring, for several minutes, until the mix smells fragrant, and garlic softens. Tip in the tomatoes, salt to taste let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer cooking gently for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, become richer and darker, as oils separate.

Employ utensil to create four little pockets within sauce, break eggs in. Dust with salt with salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook for two to three minutes gently, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, garnish with peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and oil splash, accompanied by lemon.