Baked and served in dainty ramekins, these eggs on a layer of crab meat flavoured with brandy make a rich but simple snack.
Serves: 4; Takes: 25 mins
Ingredients: butter for greasing; 175g (6oz) canned crab meat; 4 tsp brandy; 4 large eggs; salt and black pepper; 4 tbsp single cream; cayenne pepper
To garnish: a few sprigs of chervil or parsley
To serve: Bread for toast, butter for spreading
- Preheat the oven to 190oC/375oF/Gas Mark 5. Lightly grease four ramekins with the butter.
- Put a quarter of the crab meat into the bottom of each of the dishes and sprinkle a teaspoon of brandy over each.
- Break an egg carefully into each dish. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon a tablespoon of cream round the yolk of each egg. Dust lightly with cayenne pepper.
- Put the dishes onto a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 mins or until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft.
- Meanwhile, rinse, dry and chop the chervil or parsley, and make and butter the toast.
- Serve the eggs hot, in their dishes, sprinkled with the chervil or parsley, accompanied by the toast.
Variation: Strips of salmon and a dash of sherry can be used instead of the crab and brandy, or you could use 2 chopped anchovy fillets with a very small amount of chopped thyme and a sprinkling of brandy.
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