Hard-cooked eggs get a second life in brown butter with toasted breadcrumbs, a warm sauce that cooks in minutes and turns shelf eggs into dinner. This is what eggs built for eating need: richness, crunch, and a way to finish them hot. Serve with toast or bitter greens to soak up the butter.

Serves 2. 15 minutes, 12 at the stove.

About 520 calories a serving, 21 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate, 38 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Make breadcrumbs by tearing 2 ounces of bread into bite-sized pieces or measure 1/2 cup panko. Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.3 min
2. Add 4 tablespoons butter to the same skillet over medium heat, watching as it foams, browns, and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks so it browns evenly.3 min
3. Halve the 6 eggs and place them cut-side up in the brown butter. Warm them through for 1 minute, then scatter the breadcrumbs over the top. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.1 min

Note Swap the breadcrumbs for crispy capers or crumbled bacon if you have them. Leftovers do not keep well; eat warm. Serve with buttered toast, bitter greens, or roasted potatoes to stretch the dish.