by Ronald Collins

Created on: March 30, 2010

  Before you say anything, I'm aware of how few people actually eat shirred eggs these days.  And it is for this precise reason that a simple I felt a simple yet slightly revamped shirred egg dish would be a good way to breathe some life into  an old classic.

Shirred Eggs with Smoked Pork Belly and Caramelized Onion

12oz béchamel sauce

1# pork belly ½ inch cubes

1 caramelized onion

1 dozen eggs

Parsley tt                         

Parmesan tt

Method for Béchamel:

4oz butter

4oz flour

½ white onion

2 whole cloves

Salt tt       

Pepper tt

Melt 4oz of butter with 4oz of flour in a medium sauce pan over medium to low heat whisking together to create what is called a roux, simply fat and flour melted together.  Whisk the roux occasionally until smooth.  When roux is still ivory in color and smooth remove from heat and slowly add the milk while whisking simultaneously. Stick the two cloves into the side of the onion and drop into béchamel sauce whole.  Let sauté over low heat for t10 to 15 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.  This will give you roughly 12oz of sauce or somewhere between a cup and a cup and a half, which should be enough for about 4 to 6 servings at roughly 2oz per serving.  

Method:

Drizzle enough olive oil to coat a sauté pan very lightly. Sauté cubed pork belly over medium to medium high heat until golden then remove and reserve on a toweled plate. Cut onion into two inch strips and let sauté over medium to medium low heat until they become caramel brown in color without being burnt. This will probably take about fifteen to twenty minutes if done properly.   In small ceramic dish (roughly 10oz) fill ½ inch with béchamel, add a ½ inch layer of onion over that then a layer of pork belly, crack two eggs over top and bake in 325 degree oven for eight to ten minutes or until eggs are set. Garnish with shaved parmesan and flat leaf parsley.

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