Have you ever shared a meal that satisfied your stomach, but actually did more for your soul? There’s just something about the combination of comfort food and face to face conversation that deepens a relationship.
When we host guests for brunch or dinner in the winter, I often make a loaf of bread and a pot of eggs in purgatory. It’s rich, delicious and filling. (Plus, you bake it in a Dutch oven so you KNOW it’s automatically a touch magical.) I came across this quote tonight from author Meik Wiking, and it so clearly names what I’m scratching at. Food, fire, togetherness = One powerful recipe for connection and happiness.
“The capacity of fire and food to bring people together is almost universal across cultures and geographical borders. And sometimes we need do no more than light a candle to create a sense of community around our dinner tables… Our languages are reminders that sharing food nurtures more than our physical bodies. It feeds our friendships, bolsters our bonds, and nourishes our sense of community — and those factors are vital to our happiness… Whether you look at the English word ‘companion,’ the Spanish word ‘compañero,’ or the French ‘copain,’ they all originate from the Latin ‘com’ and ‘panis,’ meaning “with whom one shares bread.””
There are plenty of amazing recipes for Eggs in Purgatory online, so I always just pull from this one and that one — a “guess by golly” recipe as my mom calls it. If you’re a purist, I highly recommend using the one from the Nom Nom Paleo cookbook.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, 1 package fresh mushrooms, 1 package sausage of your choice
1 large can of tomato sauce, 1 small can crushed tomatoes, 1 tiny can paste
Sauce spices: Basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and sugar to taste
Eggs
Preheat oven to 400.
In your favorite Dutch oven, saute chopped onion, garlic and mushrooms in a swirl of olive oil over medium heat. Once the onions are good and transparent, add the crumbled sausage of your choice (I prefer turkey sausage but a spicy Italian is customary) and brown. Once it’s happily cooked, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, paste and spices. Stir completely and allow to simmer a few minutes. When it feels nice and aromatic (and is starting to bubble just a bit), use a wooden spoon or spatula to push back a bit of sauce and create a pool to crack an egg into. Repeat until you’ve added 6 or 7 eggs. Place lid on pot and place in oven. Bake until the eggs are your preferred consistency, 10-15 minutes.