Savory Dutch Baby

This recipe is easy and features items that are seasonal and available during these lean early Spring times: greens and eggs! It’s actually from the most recent edition of Edible Blue Ridge — the magazine photo was so beautiful, I just had to make it myself. Thanks to EBR and recipe author Christina Nifong for the inspiration!

 

Ingredients:
7 eggs total (3 for pancake, 4 for topping)
2/3 c whole milk
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 TBSP butter, divided
2 oz gruyere or cheddar, shredded
3 c greens (spinach, mustard greens, etc.), de-stemmed, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Place cast iron skillet in oven and preheat to 425.

Combine 3 eggs, milk, flour, salt and pepper in blender. Mix until frothy. (I just used a bowl and immersion blender).

Remove skillet from oven. Place 3 TBSP butter into hot pan and swirl until fully melted. Add batter and place skillet back in oven. Bake until pancake is puffy and brown, about 20 min.

In the meantime, heat remaving TBSP of butter in a pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Cook 4 eggs sunny-side up.

Once pancake is done, remove from oven. Sprinle cheese evenly around the Dutch baby. Top cheese with chopped greens and scallions. Place eggs on top of greens.

Place Dutch baby back in oven for a few minutes to melt cheese and wilt greens. Remove and sprinkle with paprika. Cut into quarters to serve.

Recipe by Christina Nifong, Roanoke, via Edible Blue Ridge, Spring 2024

Bonus Tip: Perfect Poached Egg

Amanda stumbled across this egg poaching trick, and it really works! It a 'skillet poached' egg, using a shallow skillet of pot instead of a deep one. 

  • Skillet/pot should have about 1.5" of water. Bring that to a boil and then turn down to a steady simmer.

  • Add your egg(s) with the shell still on to the water and roll them around for about 10 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon

  • Add a dash of vinegar to the water. Make sure it is still simmering. 

  • Crack and add your eggs to the water. They should keep their form immediately upon hitting the water. 

  • Remove your poached eggs with a slotted spoon once they are cooked to your taste (runny yolks will still have some bounce when you prod them with a spoon)

This trick works so well, you can poach multiple eggs at a time without working about them running into each other. 

 
 
Michelle McKenzie