Foodiva's Kitchen: Eggs On a Cloud

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Eggs On a Cloud


International Incident Eggs Party

My second International Incident Party - the theme this month is *Eggs* and the party's co-hosted by Penny of  Jeroxie and and Trix of Tasty Trix. Wonderful, the culinary intepretation of this theme is greater than our outer galaxy (custards, souffles, cheesecake, French toast, creme brulee, bla, bla, etc), so how do I go about this? Thanks Penny, the egg theme has really made me think... hard.

Okay, so this is it. I decided to depict the humble egg in as narrow an intepretation as I could muster - it still looked very much like an egg. Have you ever tried the breakfast dish, Eggs On A Cloud? Not the French version of oeufs à la neige (snow eggs or floating islands on crème anglaise), no, that's way too hard/early for breakfast. Mine is an easy, breakfast eggs-on-toast version and it looks... interesting.  And more than a little pretty. I mean, can you just imagine cutting through a runny, half-baked egg yolk sitting amidst an airy, cloud of egg-white? Mmmmm.... I definitely can.

Eggs on a Cloud with Tomato-Pear Stack topped with Buttered Mashed Potatoes

I started with the bread, and reckoned that since the egg was going to be light, the base has got to be quite sturdy and filling. Multigrain wholemeal bread seemed to fit the bill, so I went ahead and baked a lovely loaf. What can I say? I had time to kill.

I lurrrve my bread fresh!

Tomatoes usually feature in this type of breakfast dish, so I sliced some, coated them in white rice crumbs (gluten-and-everything-free; it's my recent great find!) and toasted them under a grill. There was this pretty Forelle pear sitting forlornly in the fridge and so like a fairy Godmother-wannabe, I decided it should join the Eggs party. Skin on, cored and sliced, I stacked the pear up alternately with the tomatoes and topped it all with some (very runny) mashed potato. Not even an oil drop in sight, and if that's not a healthy breakfast, I don't know what is.

If you're wondering what Eggs on a Cloud tastes like, well, it tastes very much like egg. LOL, well what did you expect? Saying that, texturally the airy egg cloud feels much like cotton candy does in your mouth! That's the best description I can think of. Thanks again to Penny and Trix for being the perfect hosts of this eggstraordinary party. Now go and check out what the other participants did with their eggs (scroll right down to the bottom for the links).


Tomato slices encrusted with white rice crumbs


Tomato-Pear Stack

 
Before and after

Eggs On a Cloud
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Eggs
4 slices bread
4 large eggs, separated
salt and pepper, to taste

Stack:
4 tomatoes, sliced thickly
2 large pears, cored and sliced across
2 large potatoes, sliced, boiled and drained
2 tablespoons butter

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
2. Prepare the stack first. Dip the cut sides of the tomatoes in white rice crumbs and toast under a hot grill for about 10 minutes until the crumbs turn golden. Remove from the oven and stack the pears in between the crusted tomatoes.
3. Blend the hot, boiled potatoes with the butter and spoon on top of the stack. If it is still hot, it will be runny. Cool slightly if you want it to stay on top of the stack.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a mixing bowl until fluffy and stiff peaks have formed. Spoon egg whites and shape into pretty "clouds" on each slice of bread, forming a dent in the center. Slide an egg yolk into the center of each egg white well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to season or if you want, some grated Parmesan or chilli powder for a bit of spiciness!
5. Place bread and egg slices on a baking tray and bake for 10-15 minutes until the egg whites are lightly golden and egg yolks are just set. Remove tray from oven and using a large, sturdy spatula, plate Eggs on a Cloud immediately. Serve warm with the tomato-pear-potato stacks.


15 comments:

Honey @ honeyandsoy said...

That looks heavenly!!! And what an apt name for the dish too! It reminds me a little of bread soldiers and eggs, but a much lighter, airier version. Bliss!

Jo - SecondHelping said...

They do look like clouds! I don't think I have ever come across tomato and pear matched together as you have done in your stack - what am interesting combination.

Conor @ Hold the Beef said...

I would be speechless if presented with this for brekky, it's such an interesting dish to look at, for the flavours, and also the textures at play here. Just awesome, well done!

penny aka jeroxie said...

I will be on a cloud if I am presented with this dish! Looks so awesome!

Thanks for joining the party!

Unknown said...

Thanks everyone. It's a great party so far, so full of uber-creative participants with their fantastic creations!

Sara said...

Wow! That looks delish! I'll be trying this tomorrow morning :)

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

wow this looks awesome nice job!!

Emma @CakeMistress said...

So pretty. I'd love a fluffy cloud for breakfast.
Great choice for the Eggs party.

Evelyne@CheapEthnicEatz said...

How stunning and brilliant. What time shall I arrive at for breaky?

Unknown said...

Everyone in this party's invited for breakfast to have their eggs in a massive cloud, but I would like to be invited back to taste each of your wonderful egg creations! LOL. I'm enjoying it so far, hope you are too!

Iron Chef Shellie said...

Looks great!! what a great idea!

Judy @ Foodie Dreams said...

That looks amazing! Maybe I can drop some hints around the house & get people to make this for me for breakfast [insert evil laugh here] ;-)

Cherrie Pie said...

this looks beautiful. great job on this month's theme

Reshmi Ahmed said...

beautiful...absolutely beautiful and delicious recipes and stunning photography !
these eggs look great !

Nourhan @ Miss Anthropist's Kitchen said...

Oh man that looks amazing! So glad you recommended I see this, I will definitely have to try making this!

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