Fluffy Baked Eggs With Roasted Vegetable Hash

      This amazing recipe from a March 2006 issue of Gourmet Magazine requires a bit of coordination but the grand finale is a delicate, puffy baked omelet topped with a roasted hash of sweet potatoes, shallots and mushrooms.  I'm going to break down the recipe into two parts, you may even want to make them separately.  The eggs are so light and easy to make, you could bake them alone or even top them with your favorite salsa.  The hash is a great technique for roasting vegetables, you could substitute red onion or regular potatoes, whatever you fancy.  You really need two dutch ovens to prepare this dish however you could make the hash in your cast iron skillet, just allow enough time for the potatoes to cook completely through.  I started the vegetables first in my 12 inch oven with a full compliment of coals underneath and the lid completely covered in coals, they were tender and brown in 30 minutes.  I started the eggs 10 minutes later with 10 coals in a circle around the bottom and the lid totally covered with coals.  You need to keep your ovens hot, especially for the eggs to puff and brown, the original recipe calls for an oven temperature of 450 degrees.  The eggs were ready in 20 minutes, keep an eye on them as they can brown rather quickly once they have risen.  You will have to light a good amount of coals.  After I put the hash on the coals, I added fresh coals to those that were left in the bottom of the chimney and let them ignite while I was preparing the eggs.  Treat your family and friends to this fantastic Sunday brunch dish. 
    
Roasted Vegetable Hash
10 oz sliced mushrooms
1 large sweet potato (8-10 oz), peeled and coarsely chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1-2 large shallots, peeled and finely sliced
3 Tblsp olive oil

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 or 12 inch dutch oven.
     Add 3 Tblsp of olive oil with sweet potato, mushrooms and shallots; mix well to thoroughly coat vegetables with oil.
     Cover and roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring halfway.
     Serve over baked eggs.

Roast mushrooms, shallots and sweet potato in hot oven

After 30 minutes vegetables are tender and browned

Fluffy Baked Eggs
10 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Swiss cheese (6 oz.)

     Lightly oil or spray a 10 inch dutch oven.
     Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper until smooth.
     Stir in cheese.
     Pour into prepared oven.
     Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until puffed, golden and set.
     Makes 4 servings.

Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper and cheese together

In 20 minutes eggs are puffed and golden

Serve sweet potato hash over light and airy eggs