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Consider this: the best baked eggs are made without baking. During recipe development, I found that simply adding a lid generates steam to cook the top of the eggs, delivering a gently cooked soft-cooked egg featuring set whites plus liquid yolk. The harsh, arid temperature of the oven is much more aggressive than steam, and has a tendency to dry everything out and overcook the yolk. I’ve given you two sauces as inspiration, encouraging customization. Option one involves a straightforward coconut turmeric blend, whereas the spicy sausage sauce puts a twist on eggs in purgatory, essentially, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (featured)

Preparation 10 min
Cook 55 minutes
Serves Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, skinned and diced
Sea salt
2 garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
6-8 curry leaves
Coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, plus extra to serve
Four eggs
Green chilies, julienned, for serving

Use a heavy skillet at moderate-high temperature. Drizzle olive oil, add the chopped onion with some salt, fry until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin seeds and curry leaves, leave to sizzle, occasionally stirring briefly, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Heat until boiling, then turn down to a simmer, let it simmer for 30-35 minutes, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Add salt to taste, incorporate basil.

With a spoon’s back forming small wells across the base, break eggs into each. Season eggs with a little salt, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat briefly, until the whites are set with yolks still runny. Take off the heat, top with fresh herbs and thinly sliced finger chillies, then serve immediately.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time 45 min
Serves Two portions

Olive oil
Merguez sausages
Harissa paste
Toasted cumin
Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Canned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
4 eggs
Pickled peppers, diced
Fresh parsley, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
1 lemon, sliced into wedges, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot on a medium heat. Drizzle olive oil and, once it’s warm, take off sausage casings and break off pieces of the meat into the pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, brown the meat slowly, so it renders out all that spicy, flavour-packed fat. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan while cooking, so they colour on all sides.

When golden, incorporate harissa, cumin, and garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat sauté while stirring, briefly, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Add tomatoes, add seasoning let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer and leave to blip away for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, become richer and darker, with oils separating and surfacing.

Employ utensil making indentations within sauce, then crack an egg into each. Season eggs lightly salted, then cover the pan with a lid. Heat for minutes on low flame, when eggs set and the yolks just warm.

Remove from heat, garnish with peppers, parsley and yogurt, and a drizzle of oil, and serve with lemon wedges.