#TasteofThursday Oeuf en Cocotte

Oeuf en Cocotte – Chef Alex Chen

Alex Chen, Executive Chef, Boulevard Kitchen &Oyster Bar

 

This tasty recipe is currently available on the Weekend Brunch Menu at Boulevard Kitchen   & Oyster Bar.

 
Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 chorizo sausage (dry and cured)

8 large free range eggs

1.5 lbs (approx. 9 cups) baby spinach leaves 

8 cherry tomatoes (blanched and peeled)

1 small red onion

2/3 cup cornstarch

2L canola oil

1 ¼ cups fontina cheese

4 slices of sourdough or country loaf

Tomato Sauce:

1  500ml can of whole peeled d.o.p. san marzano tomatoes

500g fresh roma tomatoes (approx. 2 ¼ cups, halved)

1 small fennel bulb (split)

1 white onion

1 celery stalk

5 garlic cloves

1 small leek

1 red fresno chilli (de-veined and seeded)

Sachet:

1 sprig each of:

– Basil

– Thyme

– Parsley

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp each of:

– Black peppercorns

– Coriander seeds

– Fennel seeds

Salt

Pepper

100ml olive oil

Celery salt

Sugar

Tabasco

Method:

Tomato Sauce:

Dice all vegetables into 1.5cm x 1.5cm cubes

Dice garlic

In a heavy bottom pot, heat 50ml of olive oil on med-high heat

Add all garlic and vegetables 

Sweat until translucent and soft to touch

In another heavy bottom pot heat the remaining 50ml of olive oil on med-high heat

Cut all roma tomatoes in half and lightly squeeze out and discard excess juice and seeds

Add roma tomatoes into pot

Stir quickly and add salt (2 pinches)

Keep stirring on high heat for 3 minutes until excess juices are released

Strain off excess juices

Strain out liquid from canned tomatoes

Add canned tomatoes to the pot of roma tomatoes and stir

Add tomato mixture to the diced vegetables

Add sachet and stir

Season to taste with salt and pepper

Simmer for 45min-1hour, if there is still a lot of liquid continue to cook until more liquid evaporates

Remove sachet

Spoon mix into food processor

Pulse a few times until chopped evenly, do not purée!

Season to taste with celery salt, sugar, and tabasco

Remove from heat and cool

Spinach:

In a heavy bottom pan heat a touch of olive oil on med-high heat

Finely mince one clove of garlic and add, be careful not to burn

Add spinach and sauté until wilted

Add salt and pepper to taste

Cool in strainer

Squeeze out excess liquid by hand

Chorizo: 

Cut into ½ cm slices

Cherry Tomatoes: 

Slice in half

Red Onion:

Thinly slice red onion rings

Toss lightly in cornstarch

In a heavy bottom pot, heat canola oil to 320 F

Fry rings until lightly golden brown

Dry on paper towel

Season with salt

Eggs:

If you have a circulator:

Set to 64.3 °C

Cook eggs for 1 hour

Remove and set aside

Soft poached eggs:

Hot water

1 cap full of white vinegar

Do not overcook!

Sourdough or Country Loaf:

Heat griddle on med-high heat

Cut bread into 8 x 2cm slices

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Brush with olive oil

Lightly grill both sides

Rub one side with a raw garlic clove

Cut on bias

Assembly:

Begin with oven proof cast iron skillets or dishes (8 inch)

Heat oven to 425F

Divide spinach with hands into 4 equal parts

Mold spinach into a ring 1 cm away from edge and one line down the middle

Spoon tomato sauce around outer edge and into each ‘slot’

Space out 4 half cherry tomatoes evenly around edge

Place chorizo slices between cherry tomatoes along edge

Place eggs in middle ‘slots’, season with salt and pepper

Sprinkle fontina on top

Bake for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted, be careful not to over-cook the eggs!

Remove from oven and place 4 pieces of grilled sourdough along edge between cherry tomatoes 
 
 
Alex Chen, Executive Chef, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Twitter: @blvdyvr @ChefAlexChen
Instagram: @blvdyvr
Facebook: /blvdyvr  /chefalexchen
Website: boulevardvancouver.com

Alex Chen’s culinary vision is an inspired recipe of family tradition and classical technique and training, combined with creative hints of international influences. From his childhood roots in Malaysia to his time in both Vancouver and California, the Pacific Rim and West Coast regions have helped form the basis for Alex’s innovative signature style, as well as his love for seafood. So, too, has his emphasis on sourcing the best fresh, local and in-season ingredients.
Alex joined Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar as Executive Chef after charting a top-10 finish representing Canada at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or culinary competition in Lyon, France in 2013. Before spending six years as the Executive Chef of the legendary Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Alex apprenticed at Vancouver’s Wedgewood Hotel, and held the roles of Senior Sous Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago and Chef de Cuisine at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto.