Week 17 - Oeuf Cocotte

I've found a pretty elegant and simple way to use up just about any leftover vegetable.  In his terrific book, "More Fast Food My Way", Jacques Pepin has a recipe for Oeuf Cocotte.  His calls for a base of creamed mushrooms, but you can use just about anything.  In our case, I used some of the leftover 'panic ratatouille' that I tend to make on Wednesday nights when I realize that I need to use up the rest of the vegetables before the next onslaught arrives on Thursday.  It's a simple combination of cooked vegetables (or meats, chicken or whatever combination you like) and a bit of cheese, topped with an egg and poached in a water bath on the stove top.  I had the day off today and this made a lovely late breadfast.

Oeuf Cocotte (Adapted from More Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin)
Per single serving:

Approx 1/2 cup of leftover ratatouille, cooked greens or mixture of cooked leftover vegetables and sausage, bacon, etc.
1 T half and half or light cream
2 T grated cheese (I used Gruyere)
1 egg
1 very small pat of butter
salt and pepper to taste

Have a saucepan with a cover deep enough to hold the ramekins and have the cover fit.  Fill with enough hot water to come about 1/2 way up the ramekins.

For each individual serving fill a 1 cup ramekin or custard cup about half full of your already cooked vegetable mixture.  If your mixture is a little on the dry side sprinkle the tablespoon of half and half or cream on top.  Top with the grated cheese.  Carefully crack the egg and place over the top of cheese.  Sprinkle a small amount of salt and pepper over the top of the egg (just enough the season the egg) and top with the pat of butter.  Place the ramekin in the pot of water and bring to a gentle boil.  Cover the pot (not the individual ramekins) and simmer on low heat for 5-8 minutes, just until the white of the egg is set and the yolk is still quite runny.  Serve immediately with bread or toast points to soak up the yolk.

This weeks farmshare is a great mix of late summer/early fall vegetables.  We're probably getting to the last of the corn but these ears were still tender and sweet.  The beets and turnips have already been roasted and will find there way into salads, etc. during the week.