3 EGG-CELLENT SHOWSTOPPER MEALS PERFECT FOR WINTER

The chill has arrived, and with it comes the inescapable desire to eat comfort food. We support anything if it is warming, nutritious, and satisfies that desire just like that of a crackling fire in a cosy Drakensburg lodge in mid-July.

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Professor Robin Daly, a researcher at Deakin University, explains that exposure to sunshine is the primary source of vitamin D, with only a few foods naturally containing the vitamin. But one of the few dietary sources of this vitamin is eggs.

Additionally, according to the university, "having sufficient vitamin D levels may help reduce the severity of respiratory infections," which is crucial in the winter.

Aside from vitamin D, eggs also include heart-healthy lipids (monounsaturated fats), protein, selenium, the B vitamin riboflavin, iron, and vitamin B12 (one big egg supplies about 44% of our B12 requirements). They also include the vitamins and minerals necessary for early children's growth as well as choline, a crucial ingredient required during pregnancy. Additionally, eggs are among the most inexpensive protein sources available.

What is the greatest approach to nourish our winter-weary bodies with all this goodness? Obviously, with substantial meals made with eggs! 

Portuguese baked eggs
SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME: 45 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
150g chorizo, sliced
2  red peppers, seeded and diced
1 chilli, seeded and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried thyme
2 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g ricotta
6 eggs
80g Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper
Basil, to garnish
Bread, to serve

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan. Fry the chorizo for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, chilli and onion and cook for 10 minutes, until onion is soft. Add the garlic, paprika and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, for 15–20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and make 6 hollows for the eggs. Spoon the ricotta in-between the hollows, then crack in the eggs. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until the eggs are just set.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with basil. Serve with bread.

SPICY SESHEBO WITH ROAST BUTTERNUT, POACHED EGG AND SOFT TACOS
Serves 4–6
Preparation time: 10 minutes // Cooking time: 30 minutes // Total time: 40 minutes

This recipe makes a delicious brunch or dinner meal. Leftover roast veggies can be used in place of the butternut. A tin of kidney beans or chickpeas can be added to the sauce to stretch the meal further. 

INGREDIENTS
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil 
500 g butternut, diced
5 ml (1 tsp) dried mixed herbs
5 ml (1 tsp) smoked paprika
440g can Spicy Tomato Onion Relish 
100–200ml vegetable stock
4–6 large eggs
handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

To Serve 
Avocado guacamole or avocado slices
Pickled jalapeño (optional) 
Fresh coriander

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Toss the butternut with the olive oil, dried herbs and paprika and place in a single layer on a baking tray. Roast for 15–20 minutes until soft, cooked through and slightly charred.
2. Heat the tomato onion relish in a deep frying pan, add the stock and cook on high for 5 minutes until bubbling. Add the roast butternut. 
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer, break the eggs into the sauce and poach until the whites lose their opaqueness and the yolks are done to your liking.
4. Heat the tacos according to instructions on the packet. Serve with the tacos, avocado guacamole or fresh avocado slices, jalapeño, and fresh coriander.

Family-sized spicy baked beans and eggs
SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME:  35 min

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp brown sugar
4 large tomatoes, chopped
½ cup basil, chopped
2 × 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 eggs

To serve
¼ cup basil
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Add the oil to a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat and fry the onions until caramelised and translucent. Add the garlic, red chilli and spices and allow to cook for another 2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Add the tomato paste, sugar, tomatoes, basil and beans and simmer for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft.
4. Once cooked, create 6 medium-sized holes in the beans and crack the eggs into them.
5. Cover the skillet with foil and place in the oven. Bake until the whites of the eggs are cooked to your liking.

To serve
1. Garnish your spicy baked beans and eggs with fresh basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot alongside crusty, toasted bread.

Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za