Brown-Buttered Eggs

With cooking, simpler is often better. It’s especially true with freshly laid eggs. Lulu is my prize-winning egg layer. In spite of her cranky disposition, she lays more eggs than either of the other two. Right now, she’s the only one laying in this cold spell we’re having.

With fewer eggs, every single egg is precious. We eat the eggs with little embellishment to truly appreciate their fresh flavor. This recipe is a great example: A simple fried egg topped with nutty-flavored brown butter and a splash of lemon over toasted artisan bread. Delightful!

Brown-Buttered Eggs

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2 eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices artisan bread, toasted and lightly brushed with extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground pepper

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat just until the pan becomes warm. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the butter to the pan, letting it slowly melt while swirling the pan to evenly coat the bottom. Add the eggs and cover, lowering the heat to medium-low when the butter and eggs begin to bubble—a sign they’re cooking too fast. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny.

Arrange the eggs over the toasted bread. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the remaining ½ tablespoon of butter. Melt the butter while swirling the pan and cook briefly, about 10 to 20 seconds, until the butter begins to smell toasted and turns a nutty-brown color. Watch carefully as the butter can over-brown very quickly. Pour in the lemon juice but stand back as it sizzles and spits. Immediately pour over the eggs and toast and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serves 2