Crispy sweet potato nests with eggs

An easy yet impressive meal for any time of day!

I wish I was the kind of person who enjoyed going out for brunch. I love the idea of having someone else prepare something tasty and interesting for my first meal of the day, but alas, I am an extremely early riser and tend to eat my eggs (or these awesome oatmeal squares) before the sun is up. This dish is my homage to the many places that serve clever mid-morning to mid-afternoon meals and gain legendary followings (I wrote about a few such places in my hometown for Ottawa At Home magazine where I serve as food editor). The combination of crispy-on-the-bottom sweet potatoes and eggs is sublime; if you’re not a cilantro fan you could substitute parsley, basil, spinach or kale instead.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter
• Handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 eggs

Method

• Peel, wash and spiralize the sweet potato. If you don’t have a spiralizer you can grate the potato instead.
• Heat oil in two small, heavy-duty skillets (or one large) placed over medium heat. Add butter and when it has melted, add the spiralized sweet potato. Cook, tossing often with tongs or a fork, until potato is softened and has lost its raw taste, about 5 – 7 minutes.
• Shape the partially-cooked sweet potato into two nest shapes, building up the sides a little and making an indentation in the centre. Be sure there is still a good layer of potatoes in the centre so the egg won’t make full contact with the pan when you add it.
• Cook nests for a few minutes longer, until potatoes are starting to get crisp on the bottom.
• Place cilantro in the middle of each nest, then crack eggs into the centre of the nests.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and cover each pan with a lid. Let eggs cook for 4 – 6 minutes until they have firmed up (best way to check for doneness is with an instant-read thermometer; I like my eggs at 145F (white will be set and yolk will be firm but not hard-cooked).
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 2 (or one really hungry person).