Caviar Eggs

If the way to a lover’s heart is through his or her stomach, here is a decadent yet doable recipe from a 2008 edition of Gourmet magazine for Caviar Eggs just in time for Valentine’s Day. The ingredients are all very basic – half a dozen eggs, white vinegar, heavy cream, vodka, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, unsalted butter and just a few tablespoons of caviar. In a nutshell—or literally an eggshell—it is scrambled eggs served in the eggshell topped with a little cream and a dollop of caviar.

The trick is more in the light touch for those who do not consider themselves kitchen wizards, because you will need to carefully remove the top third of each eggshell by tapping around the egg with a pairing knife. So instead of the half a dozen eggs needed for the recipe it would be more prudent to spring for the full dozen so you have some for practice “just in case.”

Believe it or not, the easy part is in the wine selection. Generally speaking, egg dishes and caviar served independently go well with Champagne or sparkling wine. Here we have a trifecta between the scrambled eggs and the caviar when you pop the cork and pair the dish with a bubbly. Most any dry style bubble will pair nicely with this dish, but you can add another dimension by selecting a rosé sparkling wine from California or a rosé Champagne. These rosé bubblies which use more or sometimes 100% Pinot Noir, will add a spice and earthiness and bring out the creaminess in the caviar.

Check out the recipe at www.epicurious.com .

--Felicia M. Sherbert