Baked Eggs on Toast

A few weeks ago I hosted a benefit brunch with Eva Flores  for the Oregon Food Bank.  Eva generously opened her home and our guests mingled over cups of hot coffee and glasses of orange, carrot, ginger juice. A representative from the food bank outlined their programs including their cooking matters, learning gardens, and seed to suppers programs which help educate low income families about cooking healthy food and gardening. I was impressed by the scope of their work and their appreciation. We served sheeps milk yogurt parfaits with ginger lemon granola and pear preserves my mom and I made. Eva made hazelnut baked french toast spiked with frangelico and orange zest. Finally, we served these baked eggs nestled in a tangy tomatillo sauce, leeks and kale. They were a big hit at the brunch and would make a great Valentine’s brunch too.

A big thank you to all of our sponsors who helped make this brunch possible:

Heart Coffee Roasters

Bellwether Farms

Tabor Bread

Commonwealth Rentals

Hilary Horvath Flowers

Felt and Fat

The Modern Proper

Happy Valentine’s!

BAKED EGGS ON TOAST

Adapted from Dolly and Oatmeal

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1 jalapeno, cut in half, seeds removed

10 tomatillos, peeled and quartered

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed

2 leeks, white parts sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped

4 certified humane eggs

2 ounces fresh goat chevre, crumbled

freshly cracked black pepper

minced parsley

finely grated parmesan

baguette, sliced and toasted

PROCEDURE

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium oven proof pan over medium high heat. Add the garlic, jalapeno,  tomatillos, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook stirring occasionally until the tomatillos begin to brown and everything is soft. Transfer everything to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until the sauce is flecked with green. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pan and sautee the leeks over low heat until soft. Add the kale and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and sautee until bright green. Spoon the tomatillo sauce over the kale and leeks, make wells using the back of a spoon and crack the eggs into the wells. Scatter the cheese over the eggs and bake for 25-30 minutes just until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and top with cracked black pepper, the parsley and the parmesan.

Spoon a baked egg and some kale, leeks and sauce over each piece of toast and serve.