The Eggs
As featured in Making a Home of Each Other
This is a recipe for decadent, beautiful eggs – a whole meal of them, perfectly balanced. Prepared as written, it serves two people. Ingredients:
Supplies:
2-4 eggs
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp chili crisp (see recipe notes)
2 fistfuls kale
2 slices toast
1 Tbsp butter or oil
A frying pan (ideally with a lid)
A toaster or broiler
Instructions:
Prep
Divide yogurt between two plates. Spread around with the back of a spoon.
Wash the kale. Cut out the tough ribs, then roughly tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Step One
Heat a small splash of oil or butter in a frying pan. When you can feel the heat from the pan if you hold your palm over it, add the greens. Push them around until they soften up (you can add a splash of water and cover with a lid if you’d like to steam them faster, or fry uncovered until charred in places for a crunchier experience). Slide the greens onto the yogurt and distribute evenly.
Step Two
Add a bit more butter or oil to the pan and heat on medium until the butter begins to sizzle a bit. Crack in your eggs. I personally love my eggs over easy, with the yolks just beginning to set. To accomplish this, turn the heat to medium-low once the eggs have gone in the pan and pop a lid over them. (This is a great time to put your toast in the toaster.) A glass lid makes it easy to keep an eye on the yolks. Let the eggs fry and steam in their own condensation until the yolks have juuuust started to cloud over. Remove your pan from the heat and slide the eggs on top of the greens.
Step Three
Drizzle the whole heap liberally with chili oil and any other toppings. (See recipe notes.)
Serve
With buttered toast for dipping.
Recommended substitutions and modifications
The basic premise of this recipe is fantastically versatile. I’ve made it with all sorts of greens, different types of toast, and creamy bases. Experiment to find out what works for you.
Yogurt. Any plain vegan or lactose-free yogurt will work just as well here. Go for a yogurt with a thicker consistency if you can.
Greens. Kale is great for this recipe, but you can use any other robust greens just as well—consider arugula or chard.
On chili crisp. I first experienced this recipe with Hot Mama Salsa’s Smoky Coffee Chili Oil, but have since become a diehard fan of Lao Gan Ma’s Fried Chili in Oil. You could also use Momofuku’s Chili Crunch or Fly by Jing’s Sichuan Chili Crisp. Whatever you decide on, be sure to go for something with lots of texture, rather than a plain oil infused with spice.
Toppings. These can vary depending on the flavor profile of your chili oil. Consider sesame seeds or cilantro. [Note: Choosing toppings for this recipe is a great place to incorporate new things into your diet, like hemp hearts if you need more protein and fiber, or nuts if you need more heart-healthy fats.]
Don’t forget: care for yourself and the people around you. Believe that the world can be better than it is now. Never give up.
This recipe first appeared in “Making a Home of Each Other”
a story by Lucy Bellwood about tenderness, timing, and sharing a life.
Photo of Lucy Bellwood by Chris Higgins
