Turmeric Coconut Curry and Spicy Sausage Sauce: Ben Lippett's Oven-Free Egg Dishes Recipes

Let me explain: the most delicious egg dishes are made without baking. During recipe development, discovering that covering the pan produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, delivering a gently cooked perfectly poached egg with a tender white and flowing center. Direct oven heat in conventional ovens proves harsher compared to steaming, often leading making dishes dry and harden the yolk. Here are two sauce options to get started, but get creative. Option one involves a straightforward golden coconut sauce, whereas the spicy sausage sauce puts a twist on eggs in purgatory, essentially, spicy tomato eggs.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Prep A quick 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 min
Serves 2

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, grated ginger
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
Curry leaves
200ml coconut milk
Canned chickpeas
Basil leaves, and additional for topping
Fresh eggs
2 green finger chillies, thinly cut, as garnish

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot over medium-high flame. Add a shot of olive oil, toss in the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook for five to six minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, allow to cook, mixing now and then for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid along with chickpeas and liquid. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for half an hour, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Adjust seasoning, incorporate basil.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets within the sauce, add eggs individually. Season eggs with a little salt, then cover the pan with a lid, simmer over low heat for a few minutes, until the whites are set and yolks warmed. Remove from heat, garnish with more basil and thinly sliced finger chillies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce with Tangy Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation Quick prep
Cook 45 min
Serves Two

Oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
Cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, sliced thin
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
Fresh eggs
Pickled peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, diced
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, cut into wedges, as garnish

Heat a skillet on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil when heated, peel sausages forming small bits of the meat into the pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, brown the meat slowly, so it renders out all that spicy, flavour-packed fat. Move sausage pieces as they cook, so they colour on all sides.

When golden, mix in spices and garlic to the pan, adjust to moderate flame and cook, stirring, for three to four minutes, until aromatic, and garlic softens. Tip in the tomatoes, salt to taste and bring to a simmer. Lower to gentle simmer and simmer slowly for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, while the oils split and rise to the top.

Use the back of a spoon to create four little pockets across base, break eggs in. Dust with salt lightly salted, cover skillet. Simmer briefly over a low heat, until the whites are set and yolks warmed.

Remove from heat, garnish with peppers, herbs, yogurt dollop, and oil splash, accompanied by lemon.