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Let me explain: the most delicious egg dishes don’t ever hit the oven. Through culinary experiments, discovering that covering the pan generates steam for cooking the egg tops, resulting in perfectly cooked soft-cooked egg featuring set whites and flowing center. The harsh, arid temperature of the oven proves harsher versus moist heat, typically causing to dry everything out and harden the yolk. I’ve given you two sauces as inspiration, though feel free to experiment. Option one involves a straightforward coconut turmeric blend, whereas the spicy sausage sauce reimagines classic tomato-baked eggs, or simply put, eggs baked in spicy tomato sauce.

Turmeric Coconut Curry Steamed Eggs (pictured above)

Preparation 10 minutes
Cooking time 55 minutes
Serves Two people

Extra virgin oil
1 onion, skinned and diced
Salt
Two garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
Fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
Turmeric powder
½ tbsp cumin seeds
6-8 curry leaves
Creamy coconut
400g tin chickpeas
Basil leaves, with more for garnish
Fresh eggs
Green chilies, thinly cut, to serve

Set a 25cm heavy cast-iron pot over medium-high flame. Drizzle olive oil, incorporate onions with some salt, sauté for several minutes. Mix in garlic, ginger, and spices, allow to cook, occasionally stirring for three to four minutes, pour in creamy liquid and the chickpeas and their tin liquid. Let it bubble, then turn down to a simmer, and leave it to tick over for 30-35 minutes, until thick and golden. Season with salt, mix in fresh basil.

Use the back of a spoon forming small wells in the sauce, then crack an egg into each. Season eggs with a little salt, cover the skillet, gently heat for two to three minutes, until egg whites firm with yolks still runny. Remove from heat, finish with a few extra basil leaves and sliced chilies, ready to enjoy.

Spicy Sausage Sauce and Pickled Peppers Steamed Eggs

Preparation Quick prep
Cooking time 45 min
Yields Two

Oil
Merguez sausages
Spicy paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
Tomato base
Seasoning
4 eggs
Pickled peppers, coarsely cut
Fresh parsley, minced
Greek yogurt
Fresh lemon, cut into wedges, as garnish

Heat a skillet on a medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and, once it’s warm, take off sausage casings and break off pieces adding to pan, almost like little meatballs. Lower temperature, then slowly brown the sausagemeat, releasing flavorful oils. Move sausage pieces as they cook, to brown evenly.

After browning, mix in spices and garlic into the skillet, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for three to four minutes, until the mix smells fragrant, with garlic cooked. Tip in the tomatoes, add seasoning heat to simmer. Lower to gentle simmer and simmer slowly for twenty minutes. The ragu will reduce, thicken and deepen in colour, as oils separate.

Use the back of a spoon making indentations across base, break eggs in. Dust with salt with salt, place lid on pan. Cook for two to three minutes over a low heat, until whites firm and the yolks just warm.

Take off the heat, top with pickled peppers, parsley and yogurt, plus oil drizzle, accompanied by lemon.