Eggs en Cocotte

Makes six servings.

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup freshly shaved or grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
6 large fresh, organic eggs
Salt and pepper
Cream for drizzling over eggs
6 oven-proof ramekins
Kettle of boiling water
Straight-sided pan (or baking dish)

If you wish, you can line the saucepan, or baking dish, with a non-slip shelf liner or silicone baking mat (cut to size) to prevent the ramekins from sliding when transporting them to and from the oven. Alternatively, a tea towel does the same trick (with a little more bulk). Baking mats and shelf liners can be found in most kitchenware or hardware stores.

Suggested fillings:

Fillings must be well-seasoned to hold up to this simple dish. Taste each filling; it should be seasoned and tasty before adding it to the ramekin.
Chopped roasted tomatoes
Diced and sautéed mushrooms and shallots
Creamed spinach
Cooked ham with gruyère cheese
Cooked spicy sausage with tomatoes
Shrimp and crabmeat
Mild blue cheese and sautéed leeks

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush each ramekin with the melted butter. Place a large spoonful of one of the suggested fillings (or a combination of fillings) in each ramekin.
Top with a bit of shaved parmesan cheese, if desired. Make a slight indentation in the filling with the back of a spoon to make room for the egg. Break an egg on top of each mixture and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the egg with a bit of cream. Place the ramekins in the lined saucepan (or baking dish) and move the pan onto a counter, nearest the stove. Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan, being careful not to pour water into the ramekins. The water should come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the pan with a lid or a sheet of foil and carefully transfer the pan to the oven. Bake just long enough to set the egg white, about 9 minutes (the yolk should be runny or very soft). If the egg white is almost but not quite firm, remove the pan from the oven (keeping the lid on) and check after an additional minute. The residual heat will continue to cook the egg. Remove the ramekins from the pan and drain off any excess butter. Serve the eggs in the ramekins, hot from the oven, with hot buttered toast.

Source:Eggs en Cocotte
Eggs en Cocotte