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Fried Eggs with Rosemary and Ham

Prep Time:  20 minutes

     Cook Time:  10-15 minutes

     Serves:  4

Here’s a whole new, wonderful way to cook eggs, learned from reading an article about José Andrés, the best-known Spanish chef in the United States. The method is all his, but we added some bells and whistles.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 oz. shaved ham
  • 8 medium garlic cloves
  • 5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4 slices Cabbibo’s semolina bread (available at the Dane Co. Farmers Market) or other good Italian-style bread
  • 4 extra-large eggs
  • Sea salt
  • 1 heaping tsp. minced fresh rosemary
  • 12 roasted red pepper strips, warmed
  • 4 sprigs rosemary

Directions

  1. Heat the ham in a small sauté pan over a low flame. Keep warm. “Open” the garlic cloves by pressing down hard on them with the flat side of a knife, then peel them. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet (don’t use non-stick here) over medium flame. Place bread slices in toaster to toast. When oil is hot enough to make a garlic clove sizzle as soon as it’s added, add all the cloves and cook them, turning them occasionally until they’re golden brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place toasted bread slices on 2 to 4 serving plates. Crack an egg into a cup. When the garlic cloves are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer cloves to plates.
  2. Turn on your range hood fan. Increase heat under skillet to medium-high and add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. When oil begins to smoke (yes, really), tip pan to form a pool of oil at one end. Slide the cracked egg into the hot oil, and immediately spoon oil over it several times. Count 35 seconds and then, using a slotted spoon, transfer the egg to one of the slices of toast. Sprinkle it with sea salt and a heaping ¼ teaspoon minced rosemary.
  3. Repeat the above with each of the three remaining eggs. Top each egg with a small pile of the warm ham. Garnish each plate with roasted pepper strips and a rosemary sprig. Serve up.

Notes

Suggestions From Terese: Here’s a whole new, wonderful way to cook eggs, which I learned from reading an article about José Andrés, the best-known Spanish chef in the United States. The method is all his, but I added some bells and whistles, and frankly, it’s fantastic (even if I do say so myself). It’s also rich, so one egg per person is enough for a good breakfast, with fruit on the side. Two eggs will keep you going all morning.