Put all your brunch in one egg basket

Eggs are the building blocks of life, the first step to creating you and me and most other animals on Earth.

Isn’t it a little weird, then, that they are also so delicious?

Though they are scientifically complex, eggs are culinarily quite simple. For our purposes as cooks and eaters, they consist of only three parts – the white, the yolk and the shell, and there isn’t a lot of call to eat the shell.

And yet, look how much you can do with eggs. You can boil them hard and soft. You can poach them and fry them. You can scramble them and omelet them, coddle them and bake them, frittata them and soufflé them and turn them into nog.

They can be benedict or quiche, strata or migas, deviled or meringue or egg salad. You can even drop them into soup.

No wonder they’re called the incredible edible egg. True, it’s the American Egg Board that calls them that, and they’re probably biased. But still, eggs are pretty incredible. Food guru Alton Brown calls them “liquid meat.”

Eggs are delightful for breakfast, of course, and casually decadent for dinner. But the meal at which they reach their fullest potential would have to be brunch. When served at brunch, eggs dress up in their Sunday best. It is when they are at their most elegant and are most eager to please and impress.

Brunch eggs take a little more effort than a couple of Tuesday morning eggs over easy served with a side of toast and a cup of coffee. But brunch is for guests, and guests will appreciate the extra time and care you took to prepare them.

They don’t need to know how much of the work was done in advance.

The first dish I made for an egg-filled brunch was a Shakshuka, and to be perfectly honest I decided to focus on eggs this week because I wanted to make Shakshuka. This is a dish I encountered several years ago in an Israeli cookbook. I saw a photograph of it, and I was instantly hooked. It was like falling in love; it was one of those moments that changes you forever – or at least as much as you can be changed by eggs poached in a tomato sauce.

It is the intensely flavored sauce that makes Shakshuka so special. Tomatoes are cooked with paprika, cumin, caraway seeds and turmeric, given a sweet and sour kick with honey and vinegar and then mixed with feta cheese and chopped greens. I made mine fiery hot, which is traditional, but you could easily dial down the heat if you like. A poached egg on top is the perfect accompaniment; when the runny yolk hits the tomato sauce it is the equivalent of culinary paradise.

Shakshuka originated in Northern Africa but is especially popular in nearby Israel, where some restaurants keep pans of the hot tomato sauce at the ready. The sauce can easily be frozen, so you can keep it on hand for whenever you get the urge. You may end up making it every week.

I next made an egg strata, which is precisely the sort of dish they invented brunch for. It’s bread soaked with eggs, milk and cheese, baked until it puffs up all creamy and delicious. I topped mine with bacon (I used turkey bacon – it’s half the cost and two-thirds the calories of regular bacon) and asparagus.

Egg stratas are so irresistible because, at their core, they are really just thick, savory portions of French toast. Like French toast, they do better when you use bread that is slightly stale (mine was fresh, but I cut it into cubes a couple of hours before making the dish and that worked fine). The longer you can soak the bread in the eggs and milk, the better it will taste. I soaked mine overnight, which was ideal – both for the flavor and for the ease of preparing it the next day.

All I had to do in the morning was put it in the oven and sit back to enjoy the aroma while it baked.

For a true indulgent treat, I made baked eggs. At first glance, baked eggs would appear to be nothing more than eggs that have been baked in an oven. But what makes them so deliciously special are the other ingredients you add to them.

Following the French origins of the dish, I made mine with Roquefort cheese, walnuts and heavy cream (the French call this dish oeuf cocotte au Roquefort). The baked eggs are a little creamy in texture to begin with, and they only become more special with the addition of the heavy cream and salty, pungent cheese. The walnuts bring a crunch but also a bit of an earthy counterpoint to all the other richness.

And this dish is most certainly rich. You won’t want to serve more than one per person. On the other hand, you also won’t want to serve less.

I next pointed my kitchen toward Iran for a famous Persian dish, fresh herb kuku. A kuku is like a less eggy version of a frittata, and herb kukus are traditionally served on the Iranian New Year. They can be served hot, cold or at room temperature and are great any way.

The kuku I made packs a huge amount of herbs and greens into a dish with relatively little egg. To help bind it together, it uses a mashed potato, which is brilliant.

Because of the high herb-to-egg ratio and the baking powder, the kuku is almost spongy in texture. But the taste of the herbs isn’t overpowering because the bulk of them is made up of relatively mild parsley. Often served in Iran as a side dish, this kuku is pleasant and quite delightful.

I saved dessert for last. Brunch eggs can be sweet as well as savory, so I made a German dish that is a wonderful combination of two French dishes: omelets and soufflés.

An omelet soufflé – a Schaumomelett – mixes the beaten egg yolks of a standard omelet with the whipped egg whites of a soufflé. When heated on the stove, this mixture cooks into a dish that is ethereally light and delicious. It has lemon zest in it for added flavor and a bit of sugar for sweetness. But the real genius of the dish comes once you take it off the stove.

Before you fold the omelet over, you first smear the inside with jam or a fruit spread. Suddenly, what was once an omelet becomes something more: a crepe with delusions of grandeur, perhaps.

Whatever it is, it’s fluffy. It’s sweet. It’s superb. It is an egg that is more than an egg.

OMELET SOUFFLE

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Adapted from “The German Cookbook” by Mimi Sheraton

4 egg yolks

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Salt

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 egg whites

1/2 tablespoon butter

Fruit jam, sauce or preserves

Beat egg yolks with sugar, a dash of salt and grated lemon rind. Beat egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold into yolk mixture.

Melt butter in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat, and add egg mixture. Cook slowly until bottom of omelet is golden brown. You may cover pan until top of omelet is thoroughly cooked or you may serve it with the top slightly runny, as with a regular French omelet. You may also turn it over if you want it browned on both sides. Spread with fruit sauce or preserves (apricot, strawberry or raspberry preserves are especially good with this). Fold in half and serve.

Per serving (based on 4): 110 calories; 6 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 188 mg cholesterol; 6 g protein; 7 g carbohydrate; 7 g sugar; no fiber; 102 mg sodium; 27 mg calcium.

FRESH HERB KUKU

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Recipe adapted from “New Food of Life; Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies” by Najmieh Batmanglij

6 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh chives or scallions

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup fresh chopped dill or 2 tablespoons ground dill

1 large potato, peeled, cooked and mashed, or 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons oil or melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break eggs into a large bowl. Add baking powder, salt and pepper. Beat with a fork. Add garlic, chives, parsley, cilantro, dill and mashed potato or flour, and mix together thoroughly.

Place butter or oil in an 8-inch ovenproof baking dish or skillet and put dish in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour in the egg mixture and bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Serve from the baking dish or a platter. Cut into small pieces and serve hot or cold.

Per serving (based on 6): 162 calories; 10 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 186 mg cholesterol; 8 g protein; 12 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 549 mg sodium; 99 mg calcium.

EGG STRATA

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

Recipe adapted from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

1/2 loaf of white bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes

1/2 pound bacon or bulk breakfast sausage, or ¾ cup cubed ham

1/2 tablespoon butter

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

Salt

5 eggs, beaten

1 1/4 cups whole milk

1/3 pound (5 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 pound asparagus, bottom few inches removed

Note: Recipe can be easily doubled. Cook in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Place bread in a buttered 8-by-8-inch baking dish. If using bacon, cut into 1-inch strips and fry until crisp. For sausage, fry, crumble and drain. For ham, cook in a nonstick pan, turning, until browned and heated through.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt, and cook until tender. Drain off excess liquid.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, cheese, mustard, reserved meat, cooked mushrooms and asparagus. Pour this mixture over the bread, but do not mix. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until heated through. Let cool slightly, then cut into serving pieces. Serve warm.

Per serving (based on 5): 400 calories; 25 g fat; 12 g saturated fat; 241 mg cholesterol; 25 g protein; 20 g carbohydrate; 6 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 666 mg sodium; 385 mg calcium.

BAKED EGGS WITH ROQUEFORT

Yield: 6 servings

Adapted from “French Feasts,” by Stéphane Reynaud

2 cups heavy cream

1 pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper

6 eggs

1 cup walnuts

3 ounces Roquefort or other creamy blue cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put on a pot of water to boil.

Season the heavy cream with nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Butter 6 individual ramekins and break an egg into each one, taking care not to break the yolk. Add a few walnut kernels and chunks of Roquefort cheese to each ramekin, then pour the cream to fill each ramekin.

Place the ramekins in a baking dish and place the dish in the oven near the front (do not close the door). Quickly add boiling water to the baking dish until it rises halfway up the side of the ramekins – be careful not to splash water into the ramekins. Close the oven door and bake until the eggs are as you like them, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Per serving: 527 calories; 51 g fat; 24 g saturated fat; 308 mg cholesterol; 14 g protein; 6 g carbohydrate; 3 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 358 mg sodium; 193 mg calcium.

SHAKSHUKA

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Adapted by David Lebovitz from recipes by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi in “Jerusalem” and Adam D. Roberts in “Secrets of the Best Chefs”

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1/2 to 1 chile pepper (or to taste), stemmed, sliced in half and minced; seeds removed for less heat if desired

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or sweet

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed, or 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and diced, or 2 (14-ounce) cans of diced or crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1 cup loosely packed greens such as radish greens, watercress, kale, Swiss chard or spinach, coarsely chopped

4 ounces (about 1 cup) feta cheese, cut in generous, bite-size cubes

4 to 6 eggs

In a wide skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until soft and wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the chile pepper (if using), salt, pepper, paprika, caraway seeds, cumin and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to release their fragrance.

Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium and cook 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce has somewhat thickened. Stir in the chopped greens.

Turn off the heat and press the cubes of feta into the tomato sauce. With the back of a spoon, make 4 to 6 indentations in the sauce. Crack an egg into each indentation. Turn the heat back on to bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, taking some of the tomato sauce and basting the egg whites from time to time. Cover and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Serve with lots of crusty bread for scraping up the sauce.

Per serving (based on 4): 326 calories; 21 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 304 mg cholesterol; 17 g protein; 20 g carbohydrate; 12 g sugar; 5 g fiber; 1,345 mg sodium; 229 mg calcium.