Hard-Boiled Eggs Florentine

I'm laughing as I write this. Despite giving myself plenty of time to choose, prepare, and photograph my January submission for Gourmet, unbound, I still managed to miss the deadline for publishing. And this comes just two weeks after I publicly made my vow to be a better blogger! My excuse is a noble one, though -- I was spending quality time with my boyfriend while he was in New York celebrating the New Year with me. Sometimes, other things just have to come first.

For my December submission, I chose a recipe that featured lemon and cream, but my recent obsession with having breakfast for dinner (or "brinner") was the driving force behind my choosing Hard-Boiled Eggs Florentine this time around. Under normal circumstances, I avoid Eggs Florentine because I'm not the biggest fan of poached eggs or the sauces that typically accompany them. But I'm trying to broaden my horizons. When I found this recipe, I was excited because the eggs were going to be boiled rather than poached, and I like hard-boiled eggs.

Unfortunately, after preparing the recipe, I was not pleased with the finished dish. While the spinach was creamy and delicious, the hard-boiled eggs seemed like overkill... an afterthought... mere decoration on the plate. In fact, the next day, when heating up the leftovers, I skipped the eggs altogether. Instead, I warmed the spinach up with a little extra cream and then tossed it with freshly cooked pasta. A slight improvement, but nothing about this recipe makes me want to make it again. Perhaps I did something wrong...

Oh well, they can't all be winners!

Hard-Boiled Eggs Florentine

Recipe by Michelle Rittler, Taste As You Go | Adapted from Gourmet, January 2005

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes | Servings: 2 | Printable Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 10-ounce box frozen cut spinach
• 2 large eggs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• Pinch freshly nutmeg, grated
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook spinach according to the package directions. Wring as much water out of the spinach as possible, reserving the water in a bowl. Set both the spinach and the bowl of water aside.
2. Place eggs gently in the bottom of a heavy saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Partially cover the pan and bring the water to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and cool for 1 minute. Peel the eggs and quarter lengthwise.
3. While the eggs are standing, heat the olive oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
4. Add the half-and-half, thyme, and nutmeg and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by one-third and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the spinach, salt, and pepper and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is heated through, about 2 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved spinach water to bring it to your preferred consistency.
6. Divide the spinach mixture evenly and transfer to two plates. Top with the hard-boiled eggs and season with more salt and pepper, to taste.

If you liked this post, consider subscribing to Taste As You Go’s RSS feed or subscribing via email so you don’t miss a thing!