12 Unusual Ways of Cooking Eggs You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet

Living in France, eggs are in more dishes than I thought possible. I’ve learned to cook eggs in a myriad of different ways I’d never have thought of before moving here. Plus, we’re not just talking chicken eggs.

From qualis eggs poached in red wine sauce to duck egg frittata, France loves to be creative with its recipes. Why boil an egg when you can infuse it with truffle oil and lightly scramble it?

It’s an assault on the tastebuds but in all the right ways. After all, we’re talking about a country that turned snails and frog legs into delicacies. It’s no surprise, therefore, that the egg options are endless, but be warned: Some dishes are a little unusual, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.

Quail Eggs en Meurette

Quail Eggs en Meurette is a refined take on the classic French dish “oeufs en meurette,” a favorite dish of French King Louis XV. Originating from the Burgundy region, you poach the quail eggs in a rich red wine sauce. The sauce combines red wine, bacon, onions, mushrooms, and herbs.

The sauce takes about 30 minutes to prepare, including reducing the wine and simmering the ingredients. Poaching the quail eggs takes 2-3 minutes. Because of their small size, they cook much faster than chicken eggs, making this a relatively quick dish.

Egg Cocotte

If it’s an easy dish you’re after, you’ll love egg cocotte, as they use them in French children’s cookbooks as an introduction to cooking. Bake the eggs in ramekins, with cream, cheese, or ham, and cook gently in a water bath, allowing the yolk to stay soft while the whites set.

Monitor the oven closely to avoid overcooking; the yolk should stay runny. Traditionally, oeuf cocotte is an appetizer or light meal with a side of lovely crusty French bread for dipping into the rich, creamy mixture.

Eggs Mornay

Eggs Mornay elevates the simple hard-boiled egg with a tasty Mornay sauce. The sauce gets its name from Philippe, Duke of Mornay, a French diplomat, writer, and general. It’s a posh word for béchamel sauce with cheese.

You hard-boil the eggs, cover them with the creamy Mornay sauce, and bake until golden. Some recipes also add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs on top for extra texture.

Truffle-infused Scrambled Eggs

Truffles are huge in France. Not far from the Dordogne, about 90 minutes from where I live, there is a town called Sarlat, producer of the famous black truffles, which are delicious. This dish infuses the eggs with the black truffles' rich, earthy flavor.

It takes patience to make, as it’s a little fiddly, but the taste is worth it. Shave the truffles into the eggs and store them for a few days before cooking, allowing them to absorb the truffle aroma. Scramble slowly over low heat to ensure the eggs remain creamy and soft, and add some truffle oil for extra flavor when you serve.

Scrambled Goose Eggs with Fines Herbes

Goose eggs are bigger than chicken eggs, so you get more scrambled eggs for your money. One goose egg is roughly equivalent to about three chicken eggs. They also have a more pronounced flavor and creamy texture, making them perfect for this dish.

“Fines herbes” is a classic French herb blend of parsley, chervil, tarragon, and chives. Mix these herbs into the scrambled eggs towards the end of cooking and then serve with a baguette.

Duck Egg Frittata

Bakers in France love duck eggs because of their higher protein content, which makes baked goods fluffier and richer. Bread is an art form in France, so you can see why they like it. For savory dishes like frittatas, they add a creamier consistency, making them taste more decadent than when made with chicken eggs.

Croque Madame

You’ll no doubt have heard of croque monsieur (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich). Well, this slightly different version involves a fried egg. The sandwich is layered with ham and melted Gruyère or Emmental cheese, often slathered with a creamy béchamel sauce, and then toasted or grilled.

With its runny yolk, the fried egg transforms the sandwich into a more substantial meal. The name “madame” comes from the egg resembling a woman’s hat.

Oeuf L’Arpège

Created by Chef Alain Passard, owner of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant L’Arpège in Paris, Oeuf L’Arpège takes a basic boiled egg to a new level. Cook the egg normally, with the yolk runny and the white hard. After removing the top of the shell, the chef carefully combines the yolk with crème fraîche, chives, aged sherry vinegar, maple syrup, and salt.

Omelette Baveuse

A favorite of TV chef and author Julia Child, this dish is a rite of passage for true French chefs. The word baveuse means “drooling” or “runny,” which perfectly describes the consistency of this omelet. Unlike the firm, fully cooked omelets in other parts of the world, the omelet baveuse is lightly scrambled in the pan and folded while still creamy and moist.

It’s a simple dish seasoned with salt, pepper, and sometimes fresh herbs like chives or parsley.

Oeufs en Gelée

Oeufs en Gelée was a popular dish in France during the Belle Époque period when extravagant, visually stunning dishes were in fashion. The gelatin component, aspic, became a symbol of culinary sophistication, and chefs often competed to create elaborate presentations. It’s a bit more involved than other egg dishes, as it requires the preparation of both the soft-boiled eggs and the aspic.

After 5-6 minutes of boiling the eggs, they're peeled and placed into molds. The gelatin mixture, made from a well-seasoned broth or consommé, is poured over the eggs and left in the fridge for a few hours.

Poached Duck Eggs with Lentils

Poached Duck Eggs with Lentils is a classic dish from the Southwest France region where I live. In traditional French households, lentils symbolize good luck and prosperity, and duck farming is more popular than chicken. You cook the lentils with aromatic vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery, often seasoned with herbs such as thyme and bay leaves.

The poached duck egg sits on the lentils, spilling over the dish when the egg breaks. You’ll see it on the menu in French bistros in this area.

Smoked Salmon and Quail Eggs

Smoked salmon with quail eggs is a Christmas treat for me, as quail eggs are everywhere during the festive period in France. Their delicate taste goes well with the salmon. The main thing to remember is not to overcook them. Soft-boiling the quail eggs takes about 2-3 minutes, and poaching is about the same time.