Oeufs en Meurette Poached Eggs in a Red Wine Sauce.
- 1 bottle of fruity Burgundy red wine
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 6 tbsps 4 tbsp. of unsalted butter for the saute and 2 tbsp. for the buerre manie
- 1/4 lb button mushrooms or larger ones quartered
- 2 slices thick slices of smoked bacon cut into lardons
- 20 pearl onions peeled
- 1 tsp sugar
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsps flour for the thickening agent , a beurre manie
- 6 bread rounds of good quality dense bread
- 6 large very fresh eggs
Prepare the sauce: Put the wine into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for a couple of minutes to cook off the alcohol. Have ready a large bowl filled with water and ice. You will use this to cool the eggs once they are poached. Poach the eggs in the simmering wine until the whites are set and the yolks soft to the touch. Remove from the wine and put immediately into the ice bath.
Strain the wine through a fine sieve and then return to the saucepan. Reduce slowly over a low heat by two thirds.
For the beurre manie: In a small bowl knead 2 tbs of softened butter with the flour to combine. Chill.
For the croutons: Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan. Add the crushed garlic and then the bread rounds. Cook slowly until the rounds are golden and season them with salt and pepper. Reserve.
Wipe out the saute pan and add a tablespoon of butter. Saute the mushrooms over a brisk heat until their juices have evaporated. Season and remove to a plate. Next add the lardons and pearl onions to the pan with a bit more butter. Cook slowly until the lardons are lightly browned and the onions cooked through. Return the mushrooms to the pan. Sprinkle over the garnish a small pinch of sugar. Toss and let it glaze the garnish. Season and reserve warm.
Finish the sauce by whisking the beurre manie into the bubbling reduced wine a bit at a time whisking all the while and incorporating more until you have a sauce which naps a spoon nicely. If needed strain the sauce to remove any lumps that may have not dissolved. Season.
Re-heat the eggs in warm simmering water with a dash of red wine.
Warm 6 shallow bowls or plates. Place a crouton in the bottom of each. Place the garnish around the crouton and the egg on top. Spoon the sauce over the egg. Season and serve immediately.
