EGGS IN VEGETABLE CROUSTADES

Allow 1 egg and 1 vegetable croustade in "container" per person. Proceed as directed:

1. EGG IN TOMATO:
Slice top from very firm tomato. Dice this slice and set aside. Scoop out seeds, leaving a shell 1/2-inch thick. Set shell in greased custard cup. Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven 15 minutes. Break in egg and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, salt and pepper. Bake 15 minutes more, or until egg is set. Arrange diced tomato around edge.

2. EGG IN POTATO:
In preheated 350 degree F oven bake Idaho potato 1 hour, or until easily pierced. Cut a thin slice off the top. Scoop out potato leaving 1/4-inch shell. Mash potato, adding butter or margarine, salt and pepper to taste and enough milk to make a fluffy mashed potato. Spoon shell half-full of potato. Break in egg and sprinkle with seasonings as above. Bake 15 minutes, or until egg is set. Pipe remaining potato around edge. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

3. EGG IN ONION:
Peel large yellow onion. Slice off 1/2 of onion from top. Cut thin slice from bottom so onion stands. Simmer in salted water 20-25 minutes, or until tender but slightly firm. Drain and cool. Remove center onion leaves to make a shell 1/2-inch thick. Chop removed onion. Break in egg. Season and bake as directed. Place chopped onion around edge. Sprinkle with paprika.

4. EGG IN GREEN PEPPER:
Cut small green pepper in half crosswise. Remove center and seeds. Cook simmering salted water until tender but just firm. Cut thin ring off top. Dice and set aside. Break in egg. Season and bake as directed. Place chopped pepper around edge.

5. EGG IN CROUSTADE:
Cut croustades from whole loaf of white bread making each cube 2 1/2 inches square by 1 1/2 inches deep. (One loaf makes 3 croustades.) Pull out bread from center of croustade leaving shell 1/2-inch thick. Brush bread with melted butter inside and out. Bake 10 minutes. Break in egg. Season and bake as directed. Garnish with fried breadcrumbs made from center of croustade.

Source: Good Food magazine, Vol. 2 No. 4, April 1974, Issue No. 8