Enjoy a breakfast feast of tomato and feta poached eggs in the great city of Minas Tirith inspired by the troubled Denethor, Steward of Gondor.
Breakfast in Middle Earth
Journey to Middle Earth for a grand breakfast feast that starts in the peaceful Shire. Put a kettle on the fire and start your day with a variety dishes from the various cultures and races in Tolkien’s Middle Earth. Enjoy the humble, earthy foods of the hobbits, the lush woodland inspired foods of the elves, and the hearty, rustic fare of dwarves and orcs. Visit the kingdoms of men to sample recipes from the fertile farmlands of Gondor and the rolling grasslands of Rohan. This lavish breakfast feast has more than enough to fill both first and second breakfast!
In Gondor
As dawn breaks over the great white city of Minas Tirith, the kitchens are busy at work preparing a hearty breakfast fit for a king. Sweet cherry tomatoes are gently stewed into a savoury sauce with vegetables grown in the farmlands of the Pelennor fields. The tomatoes are seasoned with fresh herbs gathered from the hills of Ithilien and salty, crumbled feta cheese. Eggs are then nestled into the tangy tomato sauce and gently poached until set. This savoury egg dish is the perfect start to your day!
Ingredients
Tomatoes: Either cherry or grape tomatoes will work with this recipe.
Feta cheese: Traditionally made from sheep’s milk cheese, the salty, slightly briny flavour of feta provides a nice contrast to the sweet and tangy tomatoes.
Fresh herbs: Fresh oregano and basil add a punch of fresh, herbaceous flavour. While I definitely prefer to use both fresh oregano and basil in this recipe, you can substitute with dried instead. Use 1 tsp dried per 1 tbsp of fresh herbs.
How to Make Tomato and Feta Poached Eggs
Make the sauce
In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the diced bell pepper and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes until the pepper begins to soften.
When the onions and peppers are tender, add the chili flakes and minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes along with the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and let the tomatoes simmer until they begin to burst. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to gently crush the tomatoes to create a sauce.
Continue to cook the tomatoes until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the fresh oregano and basil along with the kosher salt and pepper. Crumble the feta over the tomato sauce.
Poach the eggs
Use a wooden spoon to create little wells for the eggs. Crack the eggs and drop into the wells. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the whites have set but the yolks are still soft. If desired, cover with a lid to speed up the cooking process.
Serve the Tomato and Feta Poached Eggs
To serve, toast slices of crusty bread. When the egg whites are set, remove from the heat and garnish with chopped fresh oregano and basil. Arrange the toast on each plate and top with the tomato feta eggs. Enjoy!
