Are you ready to go beyond pressure-cooked hard-boiled eggs? The next breakfast to try in your Instant Pot or multicooker is eggs en cocotte, French for "in pot" or ramekins more specifically. Traditionally, raw eggs are cracked into a buttered ramekin along with a splash of cream and, optionally, your choice of cheese, veggies, and herbs. The ramekins are then placed in a pot filled with a little bit of water. The lid goes on the pot, and the pot goes on the stovetop to boil the water and steam the contents of the ramekins until the egg whites set. It tastes like a cross between poached eggs and an omelette and is heavenly when scooped and spread onto fresh toast. A multicooker makes this process less than five minutes compared to the traditional method, which can take eight minutes to bring the water to boil and another six to seven minutes for the eggs to steam.
You will need an electric multicooker like Instant Pot or Crock-Pot Express, as pictured, as well as a trivet that will fit in the base of the multicooker's bowl and three small ceramic ramekins. We sautéed mushrooms and chives for our pressure-cooked eggs in cocotte, but you can also add in sautéed leek or shallot if you have them on hand. Just keep the overall veggie ingredients about the same so everything fits below the lipped rim of the ramekins.
If you have slightly larger ramekins, try cracking in an additional egg to fill it to just below the rim. A bigger vessel may affect your overall cook time, so be patient as you fiddle with what settings yield eggs the way you like them.
Consider this recipe a loose guideline to introduce the technique. The most important thing to remember is the multicooker will set those egg yolks FAST. So, if you love a runny yolk, start with setting it on a low pressure cook for one minute. Medium eggs, as pictured, will take two minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee, plus more for greasing
- 2 cups mushrooms, chopped (or other veggies of your choosing)
- salt
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Using the sauté setting of a multicooker, melt ghee, then sauté mushrooms together, until tender, caramelized, and reduced to 3/4 cup. Season with salt to taste.
Meanwhile, grease the ramekins. When mushrooms are cooked, divide into ramekins. Top each with a teaspoon of chives, a freshly cracked egg, and a tablespoon of cream.
The multicooker pots are nonstick, and so you shouldn’t need to wash them. Simply add 2 cups of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Add the trivet, and place the egg-filled ramekins on top. Secure and lock the lid of the multicooker. Pressure cook on low for 1-2 minutes. Quick release and immediately remove the top when the pressure has normalized. Carefully remove the ramekins. They’ll be hot, so use heatproof oven mitts or mason jar lifters (if you have them).
Serve with freshly toasted bread, like walnut levain as pictured.
(Photos via Brittany Griffin / Brit + Co)
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Anna Monette Roberts
As Brit + Co's Food Editor, Anna Monette Roberts has an insatiable appetite for developing tasty dishes. When she's not dreaming about her next meal, she's . . . well, probably cooking up her creations. Her favorite foods include chewy chocolate chip cookies, Rosé Champagne, and gooey French cheeses — in no particular order.
FAQs
Cover each ramekin with foil. Place the trivet in the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker and pour in 1 1/2 cups water. Arrange three ramekins on top of the trivet and carefully stack the remaining three ramekins on top of the first three. (If you have an additional rack, use it for stacking the ramekins.)
Why do eggs crack in pressure cooker? ›
It's best to avoid the high pressure setting when cooking eggs. It creates too much of a volatile environment for the delicate eggs, leaving them prone to cracking or leaking during cooking. Follow this tip: For the best results, keep the pressure cooker set to low when cooking eggs.
How many whistles for egg in pressure cooker? ›
In a pressure cooker add eggs,1 tsp salt and water. Cover with lid. wait untill two whistles. open lid imediatetly.
What to avoid when using pressure cooker? ›
Don't overfill it
With liquids, avoid filling more than half full. Overfilling leads to food being ejected from the pressure release valve – a messy business. If this does happen, you'll need to take apart and clean the parts thoroughly. You also need room in the pot for the steam to build up to facilitate cooking.
What makes a ramekin a ramekin? ›
A ramekin, also known as a soufflé dish, is a small bakeware vessel often used for preparing and serving individual portions. The classic ramekin is white and cylindrical with a diameter between 3" and 4". It has deep, vertical sides and a fluted exterior with a rounded lip.
Can we cook eggs in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure cooker hard-boiled eggs aren't any quicker to make (the pressure cooker's usual claim to fame), but here's why it's great: it actually makes fresh eggs easy to peel! If you happen to raise chickens or have access to really fresh eggs, a pressure cooker is the best way to make hard-cooked eggs.
Is it OK to eat 5 eggs in one day? ›
"I typically recommend eggs as a healthy fat and protein source as part of [clients'] meals," he said. "I will recommend three to five eggs, depending on their current caloric needs and activity levels. Some people may not need as many eggs if they're smaller or less active."
How to boil eggs in an instapot? ›
For soft-cooked eggs, select manual and cook at low pressure for 3 minutes. When cooking time is complete, use a natural release to depressurize. (For medium-cooked eggs, cook for 4 minutes; for hardcooked eggs, cook for 5 minutes.)
What does it mean if you crack an egg in a pan and it spreads all over rather than staying together? ›
Old eggs won't stay in a nice little package when you poach or fry them; the whites will look thin and watery — spreading a lot in the pan — and the yolk will be flat and more likely to break.
Why does vinegar stop eggs cracking? ›
Adding vinegar to the water helps the proteins in the egg white coagulate faster which further plugs any cracks in the egg.
“The reason eggs, particularly poached eggs, explode in the microwave is due to the buildup of steam inside the egg,” says Trey Braswell, president of Eggland's Best franchisee Braswell Farms. “The water inside the egg heats up rapidly, turning into steam, but this steam doesn't have an easy way to escape.
How do I know when egg cooker is done? ›
Once all the water is gone, a cute jingle will play to alert you that your eggs are done. After that, I tend to plunge them into ice water to prevent them from overcooking, but that's not a necessary step.
Can I put ceramic in a pressure cooker? ›
glass and ceramic are slow to heat-up but also slow to cool down so these containers continue cooking the contents even after they've been removed from the pressure cooker.
What kind of containers can go in a pressure cooker? ›
Pressure Cooker Accessory: Heat-Proof Containers
- Suitable heat-proof containers. As the name suggests, heat-proof containers should be heat or ovenproof- this includes high-temperature silicone, heat-proof glass (like pyrex), ceramic, stainless steel, aluminum and even copper! ...
- Top it off. ...
- Measure twice, buy once.
Place each ramekin on top of each foil ring. Pour boiling water in the slow cooker (carefully! Don't splash water on the custards) until the water reaches up about ⅓ of the way on the ramekins. Turn the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Can ramekins be used for steaming? ›
Refer to the lessons on Steaming for more information, if necessary. Gather four small ramekins and coat the inside of each with a thin layer of fat. Crack an egg into each ramekin and season with a pinch of salt. Cover each ramekin with foil and transfer to the steaming basket.
