Eggs Baked in Avocado

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Eggs Baked in Avocado is as easy and foolproof a brunch as you’re likely to find, unless your local patissière delivers bags of warm fresh-baked croissants.  If you happen to come into some warm croissants or decent bread to serve with the eggs and avocados, all the better.  Baked avocadoes are delicious, but it’s hardly surprising most people have never eaten one, not when a ripe avocado is so good with just a squeeze of lime and a bit of salt.  A baked avocado has a rich, deep flavor that loves complimentary fat, like an egg yolk or cream, or the acidic contrast of a salad.  As we were pulling the elements of this post together I suggested topping the eggs with a spoonful of crème fraîche and calling it a day.  Not Jody.  The rule in our house is, once you open an avocado, you eat it–or you make sure someone else does–that same day, so just setting aside the cup of avocado flesh leftover from making a bit of room for the eggs was completely unacceptable.  You’re the lucky beneficiaries – you get eggs baked in avocados, served with a spicy avocado salad and crème fraîche.

Crème fraîche (or sour cream) melts rather quickly once you place it on something warm.  That’s why the serrano pepper slices in my photos resemble Tibetan monks staggering through spring snow drifts.  Dollop just before serving. Also, we portioned this for eight–one egg and a half-avocado per person.  They’re quite rich, especially if you happen to have some brioche toast at hand to mop up any juices.  But we also know that while a pint of ice cream serves four, some people find that inadequate.  Use your own judgement.  Enjoy.  Ken

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EGGS BAKED IN AVOCADO

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 1½-2 cups Kosher salt+ additional for seasoning
  • 4 large ripe avocados
  • 1 lime
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, finely grated
  • 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 red or yellow pepper, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 hot serrano or jalapeno pepper, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced jicama
  • 2 scallions, very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 3-4 tablespoons crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 8 cilantro sprigs
  • 8 Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
  2. In a large shallow baking dish, make 8 evenly spaced mounds of salt.
  3. Cut the avocados in half.  Remove the seeds and scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons of avocado from each half to make room for the eggs.  Save the scooped avocado.  Set the halves on the mounds of salt.
  4. Juice the lime into a bowl.  Brush the avocados with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.  Pour the remaining juice over the scooped avocado.
  5. Break an egg into a teacup.  Pour into the avocado.  Some of the white may overflow.  Don’t worry about it.
  6. Cover with foil and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes.  Check to see if they’re done.  If the whites still haven’t set, return them to the oven, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the whites have just set.
  7. While the eggs are baking, add the garlic, ginger, peppers, jicama, scallions and chopped cilantro to the scooped avocado and mix together.  Taste and adjust seasonings.
  8. Serve the eggs with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche.  Garnish with cilantro sprigs, hot pepper slices and the salad in a lettuce leaf on the side.

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Jody Notes:

Last weekend, after a 40 mile ride, I stopped at Ride Studio Cafe for a quick cortado and ended up flipping through a little cookbook sitting on the counter, The Culinary Cyclist by Anna Brones.  The recipe that caught my eye was for eggs baked in avocado.  Why hadn’t I thought of this?  I googled eggs in avocado and found out that it was a pretty common idea that hit cyberspace over a year ago.  Where had I been? Check out her book.  It’s lovely.

Although the steps are simple, baking eggs evenly relies on a bit of chance–and a bit of attention–since each sits differently in the avocado and each of the avocados is far from identical.  As you can see from the pictures, some of the yolks float directly atop the white, while others are covered by a thin film of white.  When I run into something like this, I take comfort in the Navajo practice of intentionally weaving an imperfection into the corner of each rug to provide a place “where the Spirit moves in and out of the rug”.  And cooks your eggs.  

58 thoughts

  5. I actually think that Richard at REMcooks.com did eggs baked in avocados. Personally, I don’t love hot avocados, but in spite of that, these look so beautiful I might have to try them!!!

    Reply

  8. Another home run or even grand slam!! Never thought of doing this and one of my favorite breakfasts is huevos rancheros (we call it Huevos Wednesday, made with leftovers from Taco Tuesday!), will absolutely be trying this tomorrow. YUM!!

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  10. My friend Lauren made a rendition of this for me and Anna S. Fry the egg is coconut oil and top over a room temp avo – salsa in top. Seems like a the quick way but it’s delicious!

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    • And how could you not? It’s pretty simple, depending on how much you want to tart up the presentation or garnishes, as long as you can get a reasonably ripe avocado. Thanks for stopping by. Ken

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  12. Okay, so I have “I take comfort in the Navajo practice of intentionally weaving an imperfection into the corner of each rug to provide a place “where the Spirit moves in and out of the rug”. And also “That’s why the serrano pepper slices in my photos resemble Tibetan monks staggering through spring snow drifts.” I no longer have to read Pema Chodron. Just you guys. And avocados and eggs are my two staples. Hurrah! Sophie

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    • You dangle such good hooks in your comments, Sophie. I’m sure you’ll love upcoming posts like the Fried Olives of Uncertainty, Cook Where You Are, and the Entrées That Scare You. Lucky you in avocado (and mango!) land. Ken

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      • …Which colors?? Oh…I’m sure the sense of beauty you both have gives already an answer…you show us every detail of your baking process, and that’s already a fairytale…Tasting your dishes might be like starting reading another brand new fairytale…and if you would ask me to be more precise, I migh ask for tasting one of your dishes…:):) Now I can only taste them with the eyes..:)

        Wish you both a great weekend, Luana

      • Sorry, Luana. I didn’t mean to make you have to jump through such complimentary hoops. I thought the colors might have put you in mind of lost children wandering in the forest or a cat with nine-league boots, something on that order. Thank you for explaining. Ken

    • Clearly, Michelle, you are more on the e-qui vive than I am. When Jody suggested doing this I was amenable but 1) I’d never heard of it and then 2) I wondered, “Why hasn’t somebody tried this before? And if they have, why haven’t I heard about it.” Especially in combination with a Bloody Mary. Thanks for the compliment. Ken

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    • You know, Ayako, normally, I would sigh right along with you, but as I follow your culinary and geographical travels on your blog, I’m finding it hard to work up a full sigh. Ok, maybe half a sigh. :-) Ken

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  21. I agree with your house rule and, unfortunately, it means I don’t buy many avocados. It’s really quite rare that I need an entire one just for myself. You solved that dilemma with this post, Ken. I can have my egg, my salad, and my avocado, too — and in a most delicious way, at that! Thanks!

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  28. Pingback: The Seventh Sphinx » on the menu: eggs baked in avocado

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