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Let me explain: the best baked eggs don’t ever hit the oven. Through culinary experiments, realizing that using a cover produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, yielding tender soft-cooked egg featuring set whites plus liquid yolk. The harsh, arid temperature in conventional ovens is much more aggressive than steam, typically causing making dishes dry and harden the yolk. Here are two sauce options to get started, but get creative. Option one involves a straightforward turmeric coconut curry, while the merguez ragu puts a twist on eggs in purgatory, or simply put, spicy tomato eggs.

Golden Coconut Sauce Steamed Eggs (pictured above)

Prep 10 min
Cooking time 55 min
Yields Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt
Two garlic cloves, minced garlic
10g fresh ginger, minced ginger
Golden spice
½ tbsp cumin seeds
6-8 curry leaves
Coconut milk
Chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Fresh eggs
2 green finger chillies, thinly cut, as garnish

Heat a cast-iron pan on a medium-high heat. Pour in some oil, toss in the onion with some salt, sauté for several minutes. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, let them sizzle, mixing now and then for a few minutes, then tip in the coconut milk including chickpea can contents. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for 30-35 minutes, until thickened and deep yellow in colour. Season with salt, mix in fresh basil.

Employ a utensil making four indentations across the base, then crack an egg into each. Season eggs lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, gently heat for a few minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks just warm. Turn off stove, top with fresh herbs and thinly sliced finger chillies, and serve.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Steamed Eggs

Prep Quick prep
Cook 45 minutes
Yields Two portions

Oil
2 merguez-style lamb sausages
Harissa paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
400g good-quality tinned tomatoes
Fine sea salt
4 eggs
1 handful pickled peppers, coarsely cut
Chopped herbs, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
1 lemon, sliced into wedges, to serve

Use a heavy pan on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil when heated, peel sausages and break off pieces into the skillet, resembling tiny meatballs. Lower temperature, cook until golden, extracting spicy fats. Roll the merguez pieces around the pan while cooking, for even browning.

Once browned, add the harissa, cumin seeds and sliced garlic into the skillet, increase to medium heat sauté while stirring, briefly, when fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning let it bubble. Lower to gentle simmer cooking gently for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, while the oils split and rise to the top.

With a spoon to create four little pockets within sauce, break eggs in. Season eggs with a little salt, cover skillet. Heat for minutes on low flame, when eggs set and the yolks just warm.

Take off the heat, finish with chopped pickled peppers, parsley, a blob of yoghurt, plus oil drizzle, accompanied by lemon.