Oeuf Orsini with spinach

Soft clouds of lightly whisked egg, gently gratinated with Parmesan, served on a bed of spinach briefly wilted in butter. An elegant dish from French cuisine, simple in concept yet rich in flavour.

Serves: 4
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 eggs (at room temperature)
• 20 g Parmesan, finely grated
• 400 g baby leaf spinach
• 20 g butter (for the spinach)
• Extra butter, for greasing the dishes
• Pinch of salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A small pinch of nutmeg

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 200 °C (conventional).
• Lightly grease the ovenproof dishes with a little butter.
• Finely grate the Parmesan (if needed).
• Wash the spinach if needed and drain well.

Method

1. Stir-fry the spinach in butter
   Heat 20 g butter in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until melted and just beginning to foam. Add the spinach in batches and stir-fry briefly, until the leaves have just wilted. Season with a pinch of salt, some freshly ground black pepper and a small pinch of nutmeg. Do not let the butter turn dark brown.
2. Let the spinach drain
   Spoon the spinach into a sieve or colander and let it drain briefly, without squeezing or pressing it. Then loosely divide the spinach over the bottom of the greased ovenproof dishes. There is no need to make the base perfectly even; the spinach may remain visible along the edges.
3. Separate the eggs
   Crack the eggs one by one over a small bowl. Let the egg white slide into a large, clean mixing bowl and carefully set each yolk aside in a small dish. Make sure not a trace of yolk gets into the whites.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff
   Add a small pinch of salt to the egg whites. Whisk with a balloon whisk or hand mixer until firm, glossy peaks form: when you lift the whisk, the peaks stand upright.
5. Fold in the cheese
   Sprinkle the Parmesan over the egg whites. Fold the cheese in with large, gentle movements so the mixture stays airy.
6. Form clouds on the spinach
   Divide the whipped egg white into mounds over the spinach in the dishes. Do not press it flat; let it sit a little higher so real clouds form. Make a shallow hollow in the centre of each cloud with the back of a spoon. The spinach does not need to be completely covered by the egg white; deliberately let a little green show around the edges beneath the egg clouds.
7. Briefly pre-bake the egg white
   Place the dishes in the middle of the oven and bake the egg whites for 4–5 minutes, until the edges just begin to colour and the clouds are firmer, but still airy.
8. Add the yolk
   Carefully remove the dishes from the oven. Slide one egg yolk into each hollow. Lightly sprinkle the yolks with freshly ground pepper.
9. Finish baking the dish
   Return the dishes to the oven for a further 2–3 minutes, until the whites are cooked and the yolks are just beginning to set but are still soft and creamy inside.
10. Serve the Oeufs Orsini
    Serve the Oeufs Orsini straight away in the dishes. The buttery spinach that peeks out from under the tall egg clouds makes for a classic, rich result. Delicious with simple toasted bread on the side.