Breakfast in Mykonos
On a Sunday morning, I was staring out of my galley window, searching for inspiration for that morning’s breakfast special. The style of the condominiums cascading down the cliffs reminded me of the architecture of the Cyclades in Greece. I decided to bake eggs in a nest of key Greek ingredients and so Breakfast in Mykonos was born. It became the instant favourite of my then boss, and it was also the last breakfast I cooked the day I left the yachting industry.
Breakfast in Mykonos
Method
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Step 1: Put the spinach, tomatoes, onion, olives and olive oil in a bowl and mix well. Add the lemon juice, zest, origanum, salt and pepper, mix again and set aside for 30 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
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Step 2: Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put a large baking dish or cast-iron pan in the oven to heat up while the oven is coming up to temperature. Alternatively, if you’d like to make individual portions, place six ramekins on a baking tray. Whisk the butter and cream together.
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Step 3: Take the baking dish out of the oven and pour the cream mixture into it. Place back in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble.
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Step 4: Beat the egg whites until foamy and pour them into the bowl with the vegetables. Combine gently. Remove the baking dish from the oven and pour the egg white mixture into it.
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Step 5: Using a tablespoon, make six little holes in the mixture and carefully place a yolk in each one. Sprinkle with feta cheese and return to the oven to bake for 5-8 minutes or until the egg whites are starting to set. (If you prefer the yolks to be set too, leave in the oven for a while longer.)
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Step 6: Turn on the grill and allow the feta to char slightly. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh parsley and black pepper. Serve with crusty bread or pitas for mopping up the golden yolks.
Words with a dotted underline are explained in the glossary.
