If you had to guess what royal mealtimes might look like, you could be imagining lavish banquets or rare delicacies served on silver platters. But this surprising breakfast favourite from Clarence House is both simple and budget-friendly.
A recipe for 'Cheesy Baked Eggs' was originally shared during King Charles's time as the Prince of Wales, using local British produce. You can make this comforting dish using just a handful of everyday ingredients, making it an excellent choice for a cosy weekend brunch.
Ingredients
- 100g wilted spinach
- One cherry tomato or sundried tomatoes
- 35g soft cheese, such as Tunworth or Gold Cenarth
- Fresh basil leaves, torn
- Optional: sliced charcuterie or cold-cut meats
- One fresh egg
- 80ml double cream
- 15g hard grated cheese, such as Old Winchester
Method
The preparation is incredibly straightforward and relies on creating a sturdy base to hold the rich, creamy elements together. Ensure your oven is fully preheated to ensure the egg cooks evenly without turning rubbery.
Grease a small ovenproof dish and arrange the wilted spinach and tomatoes around the inside edge, leaving a clear well directly in the centre. Scatter your chosen soft cheese and torn basil leaves over the vegetable layer, adding a layer of cold meats at this point if you wish.
Next, crack your egg into the central well, gently pour the double cream around it without breaking the yolk, and scatter the hard-grated cheese on top. Place in a hot oven (180C) for eight to 10 minutes. Clarence House recommends letting the dish "stand for a few minutes before eating."
King Charles is certainly not the only royal enthusiast when it comes to this classic, deeply satisfying egg dish. Tom Parker Bowles, Queen Camilla's son and an accomplished food writer, recently revealed that a very similar version was a regular feature of his own childhood. "Baked eggs, also known as Oeufs en Cocotte, have long been a staple of the royal table, from Queen Victoria to the present day," he wrote in his recently published book, Cooking and The Crown. "This was also a favourite dish from my childhood, usually devoured when we returned home from our holidays, when the fridge and larder were bare. My mother would use eggs from our chickens." His new book contains over a century of royal culinary history, bridging the gap between grand state dinners and simple family food. It highlights how adaptable these traditional methods are, allowing home cooks to enjoy a literal taste of history from their own kitchens.
