Shirred eggs, also known as baked eggs, are eggs that have been baked in a flat-bottomed dish; the name originates from the type of dish in which it was traditionally baked. Shirred eggs are considered a simple and reliable dish that can be easily varied and expanded upon. An alternative way of cooking is to crack the eggs into individual ramekins, and cook them in a water bath, creating the French dish œufs en cocotte.
Shirred eggs are eggs that have been baked in a gratin dish with a flat bottom.[1] Traditionally, they have been cooked in a dish called a shirrer, from which the dish gets its name,[2] but the name now applies regardless of the type of dish in which they are baked. They differ from œufs en cocotte, which are baked in a ramekin sitting in a bain-marie, or water bath.[1] They are typically baked simply with butter until the whites have set and the yolks are thickened, and are usually served in the dish in which they were baked.[3]
The egg is commonly covered with a small amount of cream before baking. [4][5] Variations on the recipe include adding breadcrumbs or cheese to the top of the eggs to create a crust, or garnishing with herbs such as tarragon.[1] Adding a protein such as fish to the dish has also been suggested by chefs to round it out sufficiently to make it suitable as a dinner-time option.[4] Another variation suggested by the United States Department of Agriculture during the 1920s was to break the eggs into a bed of cooked rice and cover them in cheese sauce.[6]
Shirred eggs have also been compared to eggs Benedict; chef James Ramsden has described them as a more reliable and simpler recipe.[5]
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