The Kitchn: Make brunch-worthy breakfast any day of the week
Despite the fact we are entering one of my favorite, easy, and effortless breakfast seasons (fresh berries and yogurt, anyone?), I love any chance to work protein into my mornings. Egg bakes are perfect for a weekday meal, because they hold up in the refrigerator for a good five days. When baked ahead of time, you can have a brunch-worthy breakfast on an average Wednesday and it will feel like a pretty big treat.
The ingredients here are pretty simple. You probably have half of them (or maybe more) on hand, and the others won't cost a fortune to pick up. I use shallots because they're a bit milder than onions, and slightly sweet, which works really well with the savory mushrooms and creamy egg and cheese mixture. Try to find a nice combination of different mushrooms if you can. I used cremini and shiitake, but oyster mushrooms are also great. In general, I usually skip the standard white button mushrooms because I don't think their flavor is as complex.
The egg bakes are really as simple as cooking the shallots and mushrooms, mixing up a simple egg base with a little shredded cheese, seasoning the mixture and popping them in the oven. They become domed and lightly browned on top ... they're a real stunner when they come out of the oven. For this reason, I love making them for brunch or when we have friends over, as they look far fancier than the effort they truly take to make. As they sit, they'll settle just a bit, but will still taste delicious. They're a winning weekday recipe largely because they're so simple to make and have such a great shelf life - if you make them on a Sunday, you can reheat them throughout the week (I do so in the microwave).
As for other mix-ins or flavor options, Gruyere is a great cheese alternative here and a handful of fresh corn in the summer is wonderful. I've used roasted red peppers and feta cheese instead of the mushrooms and mozzarella, and I love doing a simple version with leftover roasted vegetables and Parmesan cheese. Once you make them, you'll see how infinitely adaptable and simple they are and you can start scheming up a batch that will suit your tastes just perfectly.
Mixed Mushroom Egg Bakes
Serves 4
1 tablespoon butter, to grease ramekins
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup minced shallot (from about 2 small shallots)
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