Baked Eggs And Creamed Spinach, Chorizo And Parmesan

01Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / gas 5.

2. 2

   To make the béchamel, warm the milk in a small saucepan with a grating of nutmeg over low heat until it just begins to simmer.

3. 3

   In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour along with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly — do not allow it to colour. Gradually pour in the warm milk, whisking vigorously to keep the sauce smooth. Reduce heat and cook for a further 2 minutes until thickened. Take off the heat, fold in the crème fraîche, grate in most of the Parmesan (reserving a little), then stir in the mustard. Adjust seasoning to taste.

4. 4

   Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, add the spinach off the heat and season lightly with salt, letting it wilt for 1–2 minutes until just softened but not watery. Repeat until all the spinach is wilted.

5. 5

   Transfer the wilted spinach to an ovenproof dish and fold through the béchamel. Grate a little more Parmesan and nutmeg over the surface. Using the back of a spoon, press 4 wells into the mixture and crack one egg into each. Cover the dish with foil.

6. 6

   Bake in the preheated oven for 10–20 minutes, until the egg whites are just set while the yolks remain runny, or cook longer if a firmer yolk is preferred.

7. 7

   While the eggs bake, slice the chorizo and toss with the shallots and a drizzle of olive oil in a small bowl. Cut the baguette in half, then slice each piece lengthwise. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil, season with salt and rub with the garlic cloves, then toast cut-side down on a hot grill until golden.

8. 8

   If desired, briefly warm the chorizo and shallot mixture in a pan over gentle heat to release the oils.

9. 9

   Remove the baked eggs from the oven and top with the chorizo mixture, a little extra nutmeg and freshly torn parsley. Serve immediately alongside the toasted baguette.