Baked Eggs on Salmon ala Krista Davis and The Diva Cooks a Goose

Oh my God... On occasion, I have posted dishes that are not as good as I wanted.  Occasionally I have been known to use phrases like, "best I've ever eaten".  And I have even bragged on a presentation when the taste didn't warrant the brag.


This dish screamed for a brag, screams best egg dish I have ever eaten and shouts from the rafters that this is much better than anticipated.


The eggs are baked, basted and poached in cream and butter... Everybody, repeat after me in your best Homer Simpson voice (or if you like, Julia Child from Julie and Julia)... Mmmmmm... Butter!


But before I get to the recipe....

The dish is published in the new book in the Domestic Diva murder mystery series, "The Diva Cooks a Goose", by Krista Davis.



Krista Davis is one of the six merry murderesses who alternate days publishing the MYSTERY LOVER's KITCHEN.  6 days a week (with a guest blogging author on Sundays, the MLK girls share just a bit about the publishing business, just a bit about the home life of an author and always a terrific recipe.  I have this theory that the ladies are very competitive so they post their best to show off to the other 5.  But also, their professional rep is on the line, as each of the authors publish their original recipes in their books.  All of the different series feature recipes.


I love to cook, I've been an avid reader since my Curious George days, with a special fondness for mysteries.  Gravitating towards the MYSTERY LOVER's KITCHEN was a perfect fit for me.  I also like to support others that are making a living or trying to make a living through blogging.  So here's my tip of the day...

Tip of the Day... 

Support your friends, support your fellow bloggers.  If they have a book that you are interested in, buy it.  If you like what they did, do a post, if they enter a contest, vote for 'em. Shared hobby enthusiasts should be supported and seeing a blogging buddy succeed has it's own karma reward.

Once again, a little soap boxey, but since I started following the MLK and reading their books, I have spent hours enjoying their stories and cooked some really spectacular recipes from the books.  Like I said, I get to support blogging buddies and get my karma reward.


So, full disclosure, I did not pay for the book.  It was on my Christmas list, and Jackie left her sick bed to buy it for me.  And what a treat it was to get and read.  You may have gleaned from my posts last month, it was not a great time for us.  Jackie caught a bug that she just could not shake.  Without going into details, my cooking was not an option for her.  Not being able to keep food down (actually it was not being able to keep food up, but that is probably too graphic) was just one of her issues.  Jackie's full recovery started right around Christmas Day.  


Which brings me back to the "The Diva Cooks a Goose".  The very first couple of pages has an entire neighborhood (Cul de Sac in my mind) having their Christmas gifts stolen.  Sure, it was a little Frank Capra like to have the friends, family neighbors and strangers band together to make the best Christmas possible under the circumstances.  Puts everything in perspective as Jackie and I were working hard to make the best of an odd Christmas Day.  I loaned her the book to read just the first couple of sections and didn't get it back for two days till she finished it.


She loved it!


Now, lest you think it is all Polly Anna feel good, following the robbery, the big family dinner is interrupted when the not yet divorced Uncle shows up with a floozy to flaunt in the face of his possibly to be ex-wife.  Now that's a family Christmas!  A murder (it's a murder mystery, you knew it would happen), a few clues scattered throughout, a couple of red herrings, some delightful characters, mystery kittens, a lecherous cop, a few more happy holiday memories and a few more holiday missteps made for a very fast paced, well written, entertaining and funny novel.  Yes, spiteful uncles and their dead floozy girlfriends can make for funny situations (in fiction).


I loved every page!


I do have two issues with the book.  More marketing than writing (in a different life, I spent my days marketing ideas).  An editor should have demanded a cooked goose recipe (there is none).  Also, the Diva got something wrong...


The Diva in the title writes a "Dear Abby" type column answering decorating tips, and domestic bliss questions.  One of the questions was about sending home leftovers with guests.  The question had to do with providing cheap ways to send some goodies home with visitors.  The Diva responded that disposable aluminum tins make a great way to send them home. Personally, I am too cheap even to do those, but I love to send stuff home with my friends.

Instead, I learned how to make a tin foil GOOSE (as in Diva Cooks a... ) to send leftovers home.  Just lay out a 3 foot length of tin foil.  Place the goodies about 1/3rd of the way, fold up and seal, crunch the tail and crunch the neck and head and viola... The Diva makes a take home GOOSE.  Much cheaper than the book option.


But what I didn't have a problem with were the recipes Krista includes.  Everything from a Raspberry Bombe to a flavored wine drink to really yummy sounding red velvet cupcakes to this Baked Salmon Egg dish...

I took just a few liberties with the recipe.  I had a tin of Salmon Pate that I wanted to try.  Krista's recipe calls for Smoked Salmon.  I also used my "Not Your Grandmother's Herbes de Provence" in place of her suggested Rosemary, Thyme and Sage.  But the spirit of the recipe was the same.  The dish is similar to a salmon eggs Benedict.  But poaching the egg in butter and cream just upped the ante by a dozen fold.  Like I said, I LOVE this dish...


Here is Krista's version...


Baked Eggs on Salmon
from "The Diva Cooks a Goose", by Krista Davis.


Makes 8, feeds 4


1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 TBS Butter
8 large Eggs
1 tsp chopped Rosemary
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
pinch of Sage
Salt
Kaiser Roll halved or sliced Baguette (I used Eng Bread)
1 package Smoked Salmon


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Crack the eggs into 4 teacups or small dishes.  Pour the cream into an 8 by 8 inch baking pan (glass works well) and add the butter and herbs.  Bake in the oven for a couple of minutes until the butter is melted and the cream begins to bubble.  Slide the eggs into the pan so they are spread out and salt as desired.  Bake 5 minutes or until the whites are set and the yolks are to your liking.


Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread, top each half with a portion of the salmon.  When baked, scoop one egg onto each slice of bread/salmon.  Serve!


I said before, among Jackie's many issues was a low protein number on her blood work.  Eggs a terrific source of protein, so this made a great breakfast for us.  I plan to make almost the exact same dish, just using a portion of baked salmon topped with the baked buttery eggs for dinner some night soon.


Thanks Krista, a fantastic recipe and dish, on my "make often" list, and your next Diva mystery will be on my must read list!

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