Oeufs En Meurette

Photo: Gourmet Traveller

Ingredients

Clarified butter as needed

6 lrg shallots peeled, each

cut into 3 pieces

3 slc fat bacon cut 1/2" pieces

3 garlic cloves crushed, plus

2 garlic cloves for browning 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour - (1 ½ oz)

1 1/2 cups Burgundy - (12 fl oz)

1 cup beef bouillon - (8 fl oz)

1 sugar lump

1 bouquet garni - (1 bay leaf, 4 sprigs

inch if using dried herbs, tie muslin bag

Salt to taste

Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons butter - (1 ¾ oz)

4 inches slc white bread cut rounds

4 eggs

Freshly chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation

Pour 1 1/2 ounces of clarified butter into a pan and heat until smoking, about 400 degrees. Add the shallots and stir briskly. Add the bacon and brown lightly. To this mixture, add the crushed garlic cloves. Stir in the flour and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add all of the Burgundy and whisk in off the heat.

Add the bouillon and stir thoroughly. Now add the lump of sugar, for luck. Pop in the bouquet garni, salt and pepper and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. After 1 hour add the red wine vinegar. At the end of 1 1/2 hours, add 1 ounce fresh butter to the sauce.

Pass the sauce through a sieve and scrape every last drop of it through. Return to a clean pan and allow to cook gently. In a skillet cook the garlic in a little clarified butter to release the natural juices. Drop the rounds of bread into the garlic butter and add a little more clarified butter, if necessary. Fry until crisp and golden brown.

Prick the wide end of the eggs with an egg pricker or needle and lower them into a pan of boiling water with a wire basket. Count 10 seconds and remove the eggs and break them into a cup. Take the water off the boil and add a pinch of salt and the eggs. Raise the heat and gently poach the eggs. Meanwhile remove the fried bread rounds from their pan and place in heated serving dishes or small bowls.

With a slotted spoon remove eggs from water and place each on a piece of garlic bread. Pour the sauce around the egg, leaving some white showing. Garnish with parsley.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Comments: Poached eggs on garlic bread with a red wine sauce poured around them. Speciality of "La Taverne Du Poties" Paris.

Recommended drink: A good dry red wine.