Eggs in cocotte
with wild hop sprouts and chives
I love this season so much because my garden is in bloom, in the Venetian countryside you can find A LOT of delicious wild herbs to use in the kitchen, and my chickens are making a lot of eggs again after the winter break...
So, here's a very easy and quick recipe that I always enjoy: eggs in cocotte with wild hop sprouts and chives.
If you don't have hop sprouts, also called Bruscandoli in Venetian, some simple green asparagus (thin if possible) will work perfectly too! Instead, if you have enough on hand, you can also make a delicious risotto with it (recipe here!).
EGGS IN COCOTTE WITH WILD HOP SPROUTS AND CHIVES
Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
4 large eggs
1 bunch of wild hop shoots or wild asparagus
1 bunch of chives
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of truffle olive oil
1 cube of salted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Grana Padano or Pecorino cheese, if you like
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180C*.
Wash the hop shoots and remove the woody part closest to the root, then keep only the ends (tender tips and fresh leaves). In a non-stick pan fry the garlic clove in the truffle oil, when it sizzles remove it and add the hop shoots. Season with salt and pepper, pour in 1 or 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a lid, and cook over moderate heat for about 4/5 minutes until the shoots are bright green, cooked but not mushy. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Butter the cocottes, and lay the cooked shoots in the bottom of each. Crack an egg into each cocotte, being careful not to break the yolk. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, and season with finely chopped chives.
Place the cocottes in a high-sided ovenproof dish, preferably ceramic. Pour in enough hot water to reach ¾ of the height of the cocottes.
Place in a hot oven and cook for about 5 minutes, keeping an eye on the eggs which should be cooked but keeping the yolk soft.
Serve hot, accompanied by toasted garlic bread. A sprinkling of Grana Padano cheese at the end of cooking is also excellent.