Sausage, fennel seed and Tenderstem baked eggs
Sausage and fennel are a beautiful combo and when added to a quick creamy sauce, Tenderstem broccoli and perfectly cooked eggs it's a match made in heaven. Perfect for when you want a treat but don't want to spend ages in the kitchen.
This recipe is best cooked in a 22–23cm/8½–9in diameter lidded sauté pan, skillet or shallow casserole.
Ingredients
- 2 good-quality sausages (approximately 140g/5oz in total)
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp fennel seeds, coarsely ground using a pestle and mortar
- small handful fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves and stems separated, both finely chopped
- 130g/4¾oz Tenderstem broccoli, cut into 1–2cm/½–¾in pieces up to the florets
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- ½ lemon, zest finely grated and juice
- 4 free-range eggs
- sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
- warmed flatbreads or bread, to serve
Method
Use the tip of a knife to score the sausages then remove and discard the skins.
Heat the oil in a 22–23cm/8½–9in diameter lidded sauté pan, skillet or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the sausages and use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage meat so it resembles mince. Add the fennel seeds, parsley stems and a generous pinch of black pepper. Fry for 4 minutes, until the meat colours a little bit but is still soft.
Stir in the broccoli and add 5 tablespoons water. Allow to bubble and steam for 20 seconds, then stir in the cream, lemon zest and juice. Simmer for 2 minutes. The sauce should be around 2cm/¾in deep.
Arrange the sausage meat and broccoli pieces in the pan so they are evenly spread out.
Make 4 egg-sized gaps in the mixture and break the eggs into them. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 3½ minutes. Check the whites are set but the yolks are ideally still runny. If the whites are still translucent, cook for 30 seconds more or remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 1–1½ minutes with lid still on to set the whites.
Season the tops of the eggs with the sea salt. Garnish with the parsley leaves.
Divide between two shallow bowls and serve with the warm bread.
Christmas
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