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Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Basic to Brilliant, Y'all" by Virginia Willis


Recipe Introduction

"I first learned to make this dish while living in northern Burgundy, famous for centuries for the wine produced in the region. When I describe this dish and how our humble egg is prepared—runny poached eggs in red wine with sautéed mushrooms—many people wrinkle their noses. Then they taste it and wipe their plates clean. This Burgundian recipe is one of the classics of French cooking and is absolutely delicious. In a nod to the extravagance of the dish, I am suggesting here toasted bread instead of the traditional butter-fried croutons."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 onion, preferably Vidalia, chopped
â—¦ 1 carrot, chopped
â—¦ 1 celery stalk, chopped
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, crushed
â—¦ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine (such as Pinot Noir)
â—¦ 2 cups homemade beef stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium beef broth
â—¦ 2 sprigs thyme
â—¦ 2 flat-leaf parsley stems, plus leaves for garnish
â—¦ 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
â—¦ ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
â—¦ 8 large eggs
â—¦ 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
â—¦ 4 thick slices bacon, cut into lardons
â—¦ 15 to 20 pearl onions, peeled
â—¦ 4 ounces white button mushrooms, sliced
â—¦ Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 8 slices best-quality white bread, toasted
â—¦ 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


Recipe

To make the sauce, heat the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly until the vegetables are coated. Add the wine, stock, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is concentrated and reduced by half, 20 to 25 minutes.

To make the poached eggs, fill a large bowl with water and set aside (use hot water if serving them immediately, cold if making the eggs ahead). Fill a large saucepan with 3 inches of water, add the white vinegar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Break one of the eggs into a ramekin or teacup. Using the handle (not the bowl) of a wooden spoon, swirl the water to create a whirlpool, which will help the eggs hold their shape. Decrease the heat to medium-low so the water is at a gentle boil and slide the egg into the center. Adjust the heat, if necessary, to keep the water just at a bare simmer and poach the egg until the white is solid and the yolk is firm but still soft to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg and transfer to the bowl of water; set aside. Return the water to a very gentle boil, and repeat the process with the other eggs. The eggs can be poached up to 12 hours ahead and refrigerated in a sealed container. To serve them, reheat briefly in hot water.

Heat a large skillet (I know, I know, it's a lot, but stay with me) over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings, reserving it for another use. Add the pearl onions and cook them until brown and just tender, shaking the pan often so they color evenly, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved bacon and stir to combine.

Strain the red wine sauce over the mushroom-onion mixture, pressing to extract all the liquid and flavor. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to simmer. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep over low heat.

To serve, reheat the eggs by immersing them in hot water for 1 minute. Set the warm toasts on warmed serving plates. Drain the eggs on paper towels. Place one on each piece of toast. Spoon the sauce over the eggs. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 4