The Philosophy of Food, Issue #032: Baked Eggs Jambalaya

Just as society can be judged by how we treat the least fortunate among us, it can be judged by how we treat our leftovers.  Good food should be enjoyed.  This goes for leftovers as well as the fresh cooked meal.  Occasionally, leftovers lend themselves to the most noble of culinary endeavors: innovation.  It is in the spirit of innovation that I have delved into today's adventure: Baked Eggs Jambalaya.  And, really, it is about time that I revisit the model.

The Ingredients

-1 egg for each ramekin
-Leftover jambalaya
-Creole seasoning
-Butter or butter substitute

The Process
Much as the previous baked eggs experiment, the first step is to grease your ramekins with butter or butter substitute.  Once this is accomplished, fill the ramekins partway with jambalaya and press down in the middle with a spoon, creating a slight indent.  Crack an egg on top of the jambalaya so that the yolk rests in the indent and sprinkle with a little creole seasoning.  You can substitute the seasoning with course ground black pepper if you like.  Given the inherent heat of the jambalaya, this is mainly for garnish.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 F.  Remove from the oven and enjoy!

Buttered ramekins: check.

Leftover jambalaya: check.

This gives a good idea of how high I filled the ramekins with jambalaya.  See the indents?

With the eggs and seasoning.

The Results
This was delicious by virtue of the jambalaya being delicious.  That said, the egg experience got lost in the jambalaya experience.  I'd recommend using a little less jambalaya than I did, and maybe adding another layer or two.  Perhaps shredded lettuce or avocado between the jambalaya and the egg.

The ramekin with the most egg white touching the edge had the most integrity, so I would also consider swishing the egg around a little to get the most coverage.

I'm definitely going to make more baked eggs in the near future.  Any ideas?

And out of the oven they come.

This one was the most 'centered.'

Though this one was a little more thoroughly cooked.

I mixed the egg into the jambalaya before I dug in.  The egg was pretty much lost in the jambalaya flavor in the first ramekin.

The second ramekin had more distinct chunks of egg.