Bloody good fun, Part 2, and thoughts turn to brunch

Last night was so much fun at Eggshells!!! They had a crowd of eager Bloody Mary sippers and seven teams mixing up their best with showmanship to match. Suzi Parker, the bartender extraordinaire and author of 1000 Best Bartender's Recipes, was the celebrity judge and guess what???? Our playful recipe was her pick for the best Bloody Mary!!!! Such a hoot. Check out Suzi's book at Eggshells. Thanks, Suzi! Thanks, Eggshells!

Now, all that sipping on Bloody Mary's got a few of us thinking about brunch and lo and behold, this recipe floated into my inbox this morning. It would also make a wonderful light dinner, too. Using fresh local eggs and produce will make it sublime. Have a wonderful Father's Day weekend, everyone! And because my dad loved both eggs and sunsets, I have renamed this dish. Here's a kiss for you, Dad xoxoxox

Sunset Eggs

 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

 1 cup thinly sliced roasted green peppers (about 2 peppers; see note)

 1 cup thinly sliced roasted red peppers (about 2 peppers; see note)

 3/4 teaspoon paprika (try smoked paprika here)

 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

 1 small bay leaf

 1 cup whole canned tomatoes, with juice (or from a glass jar or fresh if you can get them. Use Eden Organic canned brand...no worries about BPA)

 sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 4 large eggs, local if possible

 Crusty bread, for serving

In a large, ovenproof skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and the garlic and cook until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the green and red peppers and cook for 2 minutes. Add the paprika, sugar and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer.

Preheat the oven to 400°. Add the tomatoes and their juice to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.


Bring the sauce back to a simmer. Crack the eggs over the sauce so that they are evenly distributed across the surface. Transfer to the oven and bake until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still soft and runny, about 7 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dipping.


Note: To roast the peppers, place the peppers on a hot grill or hold them over a gas flame on the stove until black and blistered on all sides. Transfer the peppers to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel, seed and stem the peppers. Set aside until ready to use.