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Consider this: the most delicious egg dishes never require an oven. When testing these recipes, realizing that using a cover produces a humid atmosphere to cook the top of the eggs, yielding tender delicately prepared egg with firm whites and flowing center. The intense, dry heat from baking acts stronger than steam, typically causing to dry everything out resulting in firm yolks. Presenting two flavorful bases to get started, but get creative. One is a super-simple coconut turmeric blend, while the merguez ragu is a riff on traditional spicy eggs, essentially, eggs cooked in zesty tomato base.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (shown above)

Preparation 10 min
Cook 55 minutes
Yields Two people

Extra virgin oil
One medium onion, skinned and diced
Fine sea salt
Two garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
10g fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Golden spice
Toasted cumin
Aromatic leaves
Coconut milk
400g tin chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Four eggs
Green chilies, finely sliced, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot over medium-high flame. Drizzle olive oil, add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, sauté for several minutes. Incorporate aromatics and spices, leave to sizzle, mixing now and then briefly, then tip in the coconut milk and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Heat until boiling, reduce to a simmer, let it simmer about 35 minutes, when sauce is rich and yellow. Adjust seasoning, then stir in the basil leaves.

With a spoon’s back forming small wells across the base, break eggs into each. Dust each egg lightly salted, place a lid on the pan, gently heat for two to three minutes, until the whites are set and yolks warmed. Turn off stove, top with fresh herbs plus chili slices, then serve immediately.

Merguez Ragu and Pickled Peppers Baked Eggs

Preparation Quick prep
Cooking time Under an hour
Serves Two portions

Olive oil
Merguez sausages
Spicy paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
Garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Tomato base
Seasoning
4 eggs
Tangy peppers, coarsely cut
Chopped herbs, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, sliced into wedges, for serving

Use a heavy pan over medium flame. Drizzle olive oil when heated, take off sausage casings and break off pieces adding to pan, resembling tiny meatballs. Reduce heat, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Stir merguez as they cook, to brown evenly.

When golden, incorporate harissa, cumin, and garlic to the pot, adjust to moderate flame sauté while stirring, briefly, when fragrant, with garlic cooked. Pour in tomato contents, season with salt and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to low and simmer slowly for 20 minutes. The ragu will reduce, intensify in color, while the oils split and rise to the top.

With a spoon to create four little pockets in the sauce, then crack an egg into each. Sprinkle the top of each egg with salt, then cover the pan with a lid. Simmer briefly on low flame, when eggs set with yolks runny.

Turn off stove, garnish with peppers, parsley and yogurt, plus oil drizzle, with lemon on side.