Besides aiming to hit what I call the cooking “sweet spot,” where delicious and healthful meet, I also have my sights set on the convergence of exciting and easy. Once in a while I will use a specialty ingredient to get there, but mostly because ease means not having to hunt down hard-to-find ingredients, my goal is to pull together ordinary, inexpensive groceries in interesting new ways.
The accompanying recipe hits the mark perfectly. You most likely already have its key components on hand: eggs, tomatoes, frozen spinach, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. But here, those staples are transformed into something that feels truly special and luxurious.
First, the tomatoes are hollowed out to become beautiful, edible serving cups. Their flavorful juices are strained and used to lend moisture and dimension to the creamy sauce for the spinach. That sauce, made with sauteed shallot, the tomato water, low-fat milk thickened with flour, and the cheese, clings decadently to the spinach, turning the homey vegetable, healthfully, into a delightfully rich treat.
Once the creamed spinach is piled into the tomato cups, each is topped with an egg and a sprinkling of the cheese, then baked until the egg is set and the tomato is warmed through. The result is both stunning and satisfying — ideal to serve for brunch.
Eggs florentine in tomato cups
4very large tomatoes (8 to 12 ounces each)
1tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons more for brushing
¼ cup minced shallots
1tablespoon flour
¾ cup low-fat milk (1 percent)
One 10-ounce package frozen/defrosted spinach, squeezed of all excess liquid, then chopped (even if the frozen spinach was already chopped)
1ounce (1/3 cup) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4large eggs, at room temperature
Cut off the top of each tomato so you’ll be able to scoop out the contents. (You can discard the stems, cut up the tops and add them to the tomato flesh, if you like.) Use a melon baller to remove the insides of the tomatoes (reserve the tomato flesh), making sure to leave the shell of the tomato thick enough to form a sturdy cup.
Place the tomato insides into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl. Strain out and discard the seeds, and reserve ¼ cup of the tomato water. Discard the tomato flesh or reserve for another use (such as a fresh tomato sauce).
Brush the outsides of the 4 hollowed-out tomatoes with 2 teaspoons of the oil. Place them on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the shallots; cook for about 2 minutes or until they are translucent, then add the flour and stir for 30 to 45 seconds. Whisk in the milk and the reserved ¼ cup of tomato water; once the mixture starts to bubble, cook for 3 or 4 minutes, until it has thickened.
Add the spinach and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, to form a thick, creamy sauce. Stir in half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and the salt and pepper. Turn off the heat.
Fill each tomato cup about halfway with the creamed spinach, forming a well in the center of the spinach and pushing the spinach all the way up the inner sides of the tomatoes. Be sure to leave enough room in each tomato cup for an egg. (You may have some leftover spinach, depending on the size of your tomatoes. If so, reserve for another use.)
Working one at a time, crack each egg into a small bowl, then carefully slip it into the center of a spinach well. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the egg whites are just set, the yolks still seem runny and the cheese has melted.
Serve warm.
Make ahead: The tomatoes and creamed spinach may be covered (separately) and refrigerated several hours in advance. You may have a few tablespoons of the creamed spinach left over, depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Nutrition per serving (using about 1 ½ cups of filling, makes 4 servings): 220 calories, 14 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 12 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 195 mg cholesterol, 440 mg sodium, 5 g dietary fiber, 8 g sugar
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