Celebrate World Egg Day with these perfect fall recipes
Fall just got a whole lot cozier with recipes for a French-inspired sandwich and a pumpkin pecan custard for dessert, both made with eggs from Ontario farms.
Well, fall is officially here and we can't wait to get our cozy on. And while it might be the season for all-things-pumpkin, there's another spherical ingredient we love cooking with — the humble egg, which we are celebrating from World Egg Day (October 8th) till...ermm, forever.
The nutrient-dense source of B12 (and 13 other vitamins and minerals) is a saviour in a pinch — which of us hasn't claimed we had nothing in the fridge, only to find an egg and salvage a delicious dinner? Knowing what eggs to pick up in the store is easy — just look for the maple leaf on the carton to ensure you are purchasing eggs from Canadian egg farmers. When you buy Canadian eggs, you're guaranteed a level of quality and care that other providers just can't offer.
In Ontario, it only takes between 4–7 days for an egg to go from farm to grocery store, meaning you're getting the freshest possible product. Ontario eggs come from real farmers, some of whom are part of multi-generational farm families who've been doing this for decades.
Best of all, every single Canadian egg farmer follows a national Animal Care and On-Farm Food Safety program. This ensures that their hens always have a clean and comfortable environment, a nutritious diet and fresh water at all times. So you can feel good about all of the delicious meals you whip up with your eggs — and you'll be sure to taste the difference in quality, too.
Whether you're making a last-minute omelette or looking to up your fall cooking repertoire, you can rest assured that an Ontario egg will deliver a fresh, high-quality protein from an experienced local farmer. Check out the below recipe for a drool-worthy Croque Madame sandwich that will transform your kitchen into a French café. And for the ultimate fall dessert (that's not pie, but close), we've got a pumpkin pecan custard recipe that's très magnifique.
Look for the cartons with the Canada Grade A or Egg Quality Assurance symbol to ensure you are purchasing farm fresh eggs. To learn more, head to getcracking.ca
Croque Madame
Originating in France, this decadent Croque Madame sandwich, topped with a fried egg, makes for a delicious fall snack or meal.
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Ingredients
Bechamel Sauce
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups grated Gruyère cheese
Pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sandwich
8 slices of thick brioche or challah bread
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
12 thin slices smoked deli ham
4 eggs
Method
Bechamel Sauce
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt 3 Tbsp butter; whisk in flour.
Cook for 2–3 minutes until golden in colour.
Gradually pour in milk and whisk to combine.
Add ½ cup cheese, whisk for 4 minutes, until sauce is smooth and lightly coats back of spoon.
Remove from heat. Stir in nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Sandwich
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Spread remaining 3 Tbsp butter onto one side of each bread slice.
Place buttered side down on cutting board; spread mustard and top with ham slices.
Transfer to a large oven-safe skillet
Spoon 2 Tbsp bechamel sauce over the ham and sprinkle with 3 Tbsp cheese.
Top with remaining bread slices, butter side up.
Over medium heat, cook sandwiches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
Spoon ¼ cup of sauce over each sandwich; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.
In a small skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tsp of butter and cook eggs until egg whites are opaque.
Place cooked egg on top of toasted sandwich.
Pumpkin pecan custard
What's better than two timeless recipes combined? This dessert with traditional pumpkin and pecan pie flavours plus classic custard is the ultimate fall treat.
Serves 6
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 35 minutes
Ingredients
3 eggs
⅔ cup lightly packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp each of ground allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
1½ cups canned pumpkin purée
1 cup low-fat evaporated milk
Topping
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ Tbsp melted butter
3 Tbsp chopped pecans
Garnish with whipped cream (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Lightly grease six ramekins or oven-proof custard dishes (6 oz each) and place on rimmed baking sheet.
In a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup, beat eggs lightly with a fork.
Add ⅔ cup brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.
Stir in pumpkin purée until blended.
Slowly stir in evaporated milk.
Pour evenly into prepared ramekins. Bake for 20 minutes.
Topping
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp brown sugar, flour and ¼ tsp cinnamon.
Add melted butter and stir in pecans.
Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over custards.
Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until a knife inserted near the centre comes out clean.
Transfer to rack to cool. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.
