Eggs in pots (oeufs en cocotte)

Ingredients

• 150g/5½oz crème fraîche
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch nutmeg
• handful of chopped dill
• 4 free-range eggs

To garnish

• red lumpfish roe
• small sprigs of dill

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Season the crème fraîche with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

3. Place a heaped tablespoon of crème fraîche in the bottom of a ramekin, followed by a little dill.

4. Crack an egg on top, add a second tablespoon of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a pinch each of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Repeat with three more ramekins.

5. Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour enough lukewarm water into the dish to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the egg yolks are set to your liking.

7. If you like, finish each serving with a teaspoon of red lumpfish roe and a sprig or two of dill.

Tips

The crème fraîche can be replaced with béchamel or mornay sauce. If you like, you can add chopped mushrooms, ham, smoked salmon or cherry tomatoes after the crème fraîche, or a spoonful of pipérade.

Try swapping the dill for parsley, basil or coriander, or spice things up with a dash of Tabasco or chilli sauce.