On weekends when family arrives to our little mountain town, I often prepare shirred eggs to greet them in the morning as they tumble into the kitchen hungry for breakfast. I butter individual ramekins and drop in a bit of whatever’s in season: chopped tomato and basil in summer, mushrooms in autumn, or a bit of bacon or cured meat in winter. I crack open an egg into each of the ramekins, pour a spoonful of cream over the top, and set them in the oven to bake. While my ingredients may change from season to season, my favorite combination includes gravlax and asparagus.

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS 

• 6 ounces chopped Gravlax with Maple, Dill, and Juniper, or store-bought gravlax
• 6 asparagus spears, trimmed of woody ends and chopped
• 6 eggs
• 1 shallot, finely grated
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins and set them on a baking sheet.
3. Evenly distribute the gravlax and asparagus among the ramekins.
4. Crack open the eggs one at a time and drop one into each ramekin.
5. Sprinkle a bit of the grated shallot over each egg.
6. Pour over 1 tablespoon of cream on each ramekin.
7. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of black pepper.
8. Carefully transfer the baking sheet holding the ramekins to the oven and bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until the yolks are done to your liking.
9. Baking the eggs for 8 minutes yields runny yolks, while baking for 12 minutes yields firm yolks.
10. Serve immediately.