Eggs Lorraine — The Morning After the Meal That Filled the House

Week 477. Year 10. Tommy is 43. Spring cleaning and pit maintenance. The mortar checked, the grate inspected, the tools organized. The business running steady — DeShawn handling the big jobs, Marcus on the commercial side, the name Beaumont on the vans and the invoices and the reputation. Rémy (13) in school, cooking and fishing. The garden is producing. The bayou is running. The roux is turning.

Made crawfish Monica this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. The spoon doesn't stop.

When a meal like crawfish Monica has been the whole day — the smell still in the curtains, the pot still on the back burner — the next morning wants something that honors that same unhurried warmth without asking too much. Eggs Lorraine is that dish: French by name, steady by nature, the kind of thing you make when the garden is producing and the house is still and you want the stove on before anyone else is awake. It felt right after a week like this one.

Eggs Lorraine

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4 strips thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (or Swiss)
• 1/4 cup finely diced shallots
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch round baking dish or four individual ramekins generously.
2. Soften the shallots. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, melt butter and cook shallots until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Build the custard. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and milk until smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fold in the softened shallots.
4. Layer the dish. Scatter the crumbled bacon evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg custard over the top. Sprinkle the shredded Gruyère evenly over the surface.
5. Bake. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 22–25 minutes, until the custard is just set in the center and the top is lightly golden. A thin knife inserted in the center should come out clean.
6. Rest and serve. Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm with crusty bread or over toast.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 320 | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 480mg