Crisp Bacon and Burst Tomato Skillet Eggs

Cut the bacon crosswise into 1 cm pieces. Finely chop the onion, mince the garlic, chop the tomatoes into 2 cm pieces, thinly slice the cucumber, tear the basil leaves, and finely grate the Parmesan if needed.

Set a 26 cm non-stick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and 1 tsp of the olive oil, then fry for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often and adjusting the heat as needed, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is browned and crisp at the edges.

Spoon about two-thirds of the crisp bacon onto a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring, until it looks glossy and softened but not browned.

Add the garlic, tomatoes, 1/4 tsp of the salt, and the black pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes slump and release a thick, bubbling juice.

Lower the heat to medium-low. Use a spoon to make 6 shallow wells in the tomato mixture, then crack one egg into each well. Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and the Parmesan cheese.

Cover the skillet and cook gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until the whites are fully opaque and set and the yolks are still glossy and softly thickened. For firmer yolks, cook 1 to 2 minutes longer.

While the eggs cook, toss the cucumber with the apple cider vinegar, the remaining 2 tsp olive oil, basil, and a small pinch of salt until the slices are lightly coated and bright-tasting.

Scatter the reserved crisp bacon over the eggs. Serve straight from the skillet with the cucumber-basil salad alongside for a cool contrast.