There's a lovely elegance to traditional baked eggs that belies its simplicity. The eggs retain a delicateness that's further enhanced by fresh cream and balanced by meaty smoked King salmon and fresh herbs. And it only takes five minutes to prep the ingredients before you toss them in the oven.
Heat the oven to 350 F, and then butter the mini cocottes. Set a kettle on the stove to boil.
Crumble an ounce of the smoked salmon into each of the cocottes. Top the salmon with tarragon leaves, and then crack an egg over the salmon and tarragon into each cocotte.
Spoon 2 tablespoons heavy cream over the eggs, and sprinkle them with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Place them into a baking dish, and cover the cocottes with their lids. If you're using ramekins, cover them with foil. Pour enough hot water into the baking dish so that it reaches half-way up the sides of the cocotte.
Transfer the baking dish to the oven, and allow the eggs to bake, undisturbed, until the whites are set, but the yolks are still runny - about fifteen minutes. Remove them from the baking dish, uncover, and serve immediately.
Notes
Need a dairy-free version? Skip the cream and keep an eye on them as they bake so that the whites don't become overdone. Coconut cream and milk do not make a good dairy replacement in this recipe.Don't have tarragon? Dill or fresh chives will work nicely here.