Spinach, Mushroom and Bacon Egg Boat

I have no glamorous excuses for the delay between posts. No adventures, no chic parties, no new chef BFFs. Instead, I have a good old-fashioned case of writer’s block, coupled with an unquenchable thirst to be outdoors, where it’s warm! And sunny! And did I mention warm?

So I’ll be brief here. This spinach, mushroom and bacon egg boat is divine, and should be part of every homemade brunch you make from here on out.

What is an egg boat? It starts with loaf of bread — I used a sourdough boule, but if you feel strongly about something else, then by all means try it. The innards of the bread are scooped out and filled with some sort of egg-veggies-cheese-protein blend. The original recipe, from The Kitchn, went with smoked salmon, Gruyere, capers and chives. My version kept the Gruyere, but then veered into spinach, mushroom, bacon territory.

The whole thing gets baked for an hour, until the eggs are puffy and set, and tastes like a cross between a quiche and a baked egg casserole. And then there are the added benefits: no need to make toast on the side, you can prep the egg filling a day or two in advance, it’s relatively inexpensive to make, and this egg boat can feed a crowd.

Look at that thing. You know you want some.

Spinach, Mushroom and Bacon Egg Boat
Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves 6-8

– 1 sourdough boule or 2 sourdough bâtards (in case you’re confused)

– 4 slices bacon

– 1 8-ounce package sliced cremini mushrooms

– 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, divided

– 2-3 handfuls fresh baby spinach

– 4 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

– 12 large eggs

– 1/2 cup sour cream

– salt and pepper, to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

2) In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside on paper towels to cool, then crumble. In the same skillet, add the mushrooms. Cook on high for 5-7 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned slightly. Add a 1/4-teaspoon of thyme, spinach, salt and pepper. Saute for an additional 3-5 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the mushrooms are cooked through. Combine the bacon crumbles with the mushroom-spinach mixture. Let cool completely.

3) Using a serrated knife, cut a V-shaped section from the top of the boule, stopping the knife about a 1/2-inch from the bottom of the loaf. Remove the loose bread top, and scoop out a bit of the inside to form the “boat.” Set aside the scooped-out bread for another use.

4) In a large bowl, whisk together the cheese, eggs, sour cream, remaining 1/4-teaspoon thyme, salt and pepper. Add the cooled mushroom-spinach-bacon mixture. Place the boat on the prepared baking sheet. Fill it with the egg mixture.

5) Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the eggs are puffy and no longer jiggle when you shake the pan. Let the boats cool for 5 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve warm.