detour. My kitchen

Breakfast · FIRST EDITION

Baked eggs with creamed leeks

Soft leeks, cream and eggs baked in little dishes, with sourdough for scooping.

45 minutes · Serves 2

Something special

Centrepiece dishes and slower meals for a dinner or brunch worth gathering for.

Serving inspiration
Serving inspiration · stock photograph

If eggs on toast are your usual, a bed of creamy leeks turns them into a slower brunch.

Here’s how.

  1. 1

    Soften the leeks

    Heat oven to 190°C / 375°F (170°C fan). Melt butter in a saucepan. Add leeks, water and salt, cover and cook gently for 10–12 minutes, stirring, until soft.

  2. 2

    Make the sauce

    Uncover and stir in cream and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. Divide between small ovenproof dishes, allowing two eggs per person.

  3. 3

    Add eggs and bake

    Make hollows in the leeks and crack in the eggs. Scatter cheese around them. Place dishes on a tray and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until both whites and yolks are firm.

  4. 4

    Toast and serve

    Toast the sourdough while the eggs finish. Put each hot dish on a plate and serve with toast, taking care with the hot rims.

Use shallow dishes so the whites can set evenly. Check the eggs themselves before taking them out of the oven.

First edition recipe draft — not yet kitchen-tested. Cooking times are estimates.