Baked Eggs with Goat Cheese and Green Peppercorns

4 tablespoons panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

3 tablespoons butter

2 large shallots, finely chopped (about cup)

1½ teaspoons coarsely crushed green peppercorns

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ large bunch Swiss chard, stems and large center ribs removed, leaves quartered or halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch slices (5 loosely packed cups)

1 tablespoon water

2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about ¾ cup)

4 eggs

½ cup crumbled goat cheese (chevre) (about 3 ounces)

Toast, for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter four, 6- to 8-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Place the cups on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the panko in the bottom of each cup.

Melt the butter in large skillet set over medium heat. Add shallots, crushed green peppercorns and ¼ teaspoon of the sea salt; cook and stir three minutes or until tender. Add Swiss chard and water; cook and stir over medium-low heat about 8 minutes or until tender.

Spoon about ¼ cup of the Swiss chard into each ramekin. Top each with ¼ of the tomatoes. Make a depression in the vegetables. Place 1 egg into each depression, taking care not to break the yolk. Season all four eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon sea salt. Sprinkle the goat cheese evenly over the eggs.

Bake 16-18 minutes or until the egg whites are almost set. Remove from the oven. Let stand 10 minutes. Season to taste with additional crushed green peppercorns, and serve with buttered toast, if desired.

Serves four.

McCormick Flavor Forecast 2011, flavorforecast.com