Magnificent News: Eat Voraciously: Egg in a hole en français

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Here's what's for dinner tonight.

By G. Daniela Galarza

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Egg in a hole en français

Most of the time when I start writing about a dish for the newsletter, I make it to be sure I understand how it comes together, and taste it so I can describe its flavors. Other times, I can't even start writing until I made it because it sounds so good.

The second I saw the name of this recipe from Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger, I knew it was going to be a winner. Krieger's recipes are some of my all-time favorites, because she really nails the combination of healthful and flavorful. (Have you seen her new roasted mushroom soup?! It sounds so, so good.)

Here, a pan-fried egg in a hole* gets served alongside a French-style frisee aux lardons salad. Krieger suggests using Canadian bacon instead of lardons to keep it lean, but maintain that smoky flavor. I didn't have any pork in my fridge, so I used sliced mushrooms, sauteed in olive oil with a few pinches of smoked paprika, and that made a fine substitute.

As Krieger writes, "It makes for a homey yet sumptuously elegant brunch or breakfast-for-dinner."

*The last time I wrote about eggs in a hole I got dozens of emails from readers all over the world telling me what they called the dish: eggs in a frame, eggs in a nest, one-eyed Pete, one-eyed Jack, and toad in a hole were some of my favorites from the inbox.

Today's recipe

Photos by Goran Kosanovic for The Washington Post

Eggs in a Hole With Frisee Salad

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe in our Recipe Finder.

Servings: 4
Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
3 1/2 ounces thick-cut Canadian bacon (3 slices) or ham steak, diced
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced shallot or scallion
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Four 1/2-inch-thick slices crusty whole grain bread (taken from the middle of the loaf if the loaf is round)
4 large eggs
3 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped or torn frisee or chicory

Steps

1. Brush a nonstick skillet with 1 teaspoon of the oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon or ham and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is nicely browned. Transfer it to a plate.

2. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the oil with the sherry vinegar, mustard, shallot or scallion, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Use the remaining tablespoon of oil to brush both sides of each slice of bread. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter or small glass to cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread; reserve the cutouts, if desired.

4. Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Place 2 of the bread slices and 2 cutouts in the same skillet and crack one egg into the hole of each slice. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the egg whites are mostly set and the bread is toasted on the underside. Use a spatula to turn over the bread/egg slices and cutouts, if using, and cook for 1 minute more, so the white is cooked but the yolk is still runny. Repeat with the remaining bread slices, eggs and cutouts, if using, to create the remaining two eggs in a hole.

5. Toss the frisee or chicory with the dressing in a mixing bowl until evenly coated, then divide the salad among individual plates.

6. To serve, place one egg in a hole and one reserved cutout, if using, on top of the salad on each plate. Sprinkle with the browned bacon or ham.

Adapted from cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger. Tested by Carolyn Stanek Lucy.

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 280; Total Fat: 17 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Cholesterol: 200 mg; Sodium: 580 mg; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 2 g; Protein: 14 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas:

Krieger calls for whole-grain bread here >> but any kind of crusty loaf will work fine, as will gluten-free bread.
No frisee? >> Try this with shredded kale or escarole.
The Dijon is classic >> but a spicy brown or whole-grain mustard will work, too.