by Jennifer Burcke

During the summer growing season here at 1840 Farm, I spend a few minutes each day trying to decide the best way to make use of our daily harvest.  Some days, Mother Nature doesn’t give me many options, on others, she grants me an embarrassment of riches.

Now that we have finally started harvesting our beloved heirloom tomato crop, my options are looking more delicious every day.  Cherry tomatoes are transformed into our favorite tomato bruschetta and slicing tomatoes become open faced egg sandwiches and delicious grilled cheese

I don’t have to look far to find something fresh from our farm to pair with the day’s heirloom tomatoes.  In fact, our chicken coop and run are adjacent to the garden.  As I walk back to the farmhouse with the day’s garden harvest, I pass by our main coop.

Most days, the girls are busy trying to get my attention as I pick the tomatoes.  They know that if I’m in the garden, they can count on a treat of fresh grass, dandelions, or chicken safe weeds as I walk by.  They have no idea that they are providing the soundtrack for my daily dinner planning.

Truth be told, they’re providing much more than a soundtrack.  They’re also excellent at providing me with endless inspiration in the form of the beautiful brown eggs they leave in the nest boxes each day.

Our fresh eggs are featured on our dinner table on a regular basis.  We have an impressive collection of family favorite preparations, but I am always on the lookout for a new way to prepare the fresh eggs that grace our family table.  I happened upon one a few weeks ago at our local public library.

 As I turned the pages of an archive copy of a magazine, I came across a recipe for a dish that included eggs and tomatoes.  Better yet, it was a simple preparation and I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.

I made a few changes to the original recipe and chose to use my cast iron skillet instead of the nonstick pan the recipe called for.  In a few minutes, I had a skillet filled with our fresh eggs and heirloom tomatoes nestled under a blanket of locally smoked cheddar.

After spending a few minutes under the broiler, the cheese was bubbly and beginning to brown.  The eggs were perfectly cooked and infused with the earthy flavor of the Cherokee Purple tomato that I had plucked from the vine a few hours earlier.

The dish was a hit around our family table.  I know that this recipe will join the ranks of our favorite egg and tomato recipes.  I hope that it can also become one of yours.

When preparing this dish for more than two people, I like to use two skillets.  You could also use a single skillet, increasing the cooking time as needed to compensate for the slightly crowded pan.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  By preheating the oven, your broiler will be better able to properly finish the eggs in an incredibly short amount of time.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the butter, swirling to coat the surface of the bottom of the pan.  Crack the eggs into the skillet and season with salt and pepper.  Allow the eggs to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the whites are beginning to set.

Remove from the pan from the heat.  Evenly arrange the heirloom tomato slices in the pan.  Top with a sprinkling of fresh thyme and cover with the shredded cheddar.

Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.  Turn on the broiler and broil until the whites are completely set and the yolks are done to your liking, approximately 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve warm.

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