Oeufs en Meurette (Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce)

Ingredients

• 25g unsalted butter
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 8 baby onions or small shallots, peeled
• 150g button mushrooms, halved
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml red Burgundy wine (or other dry red wine such as Pinot Noir)
• 200ml beef stock
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 8 very fresh eggs
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (for poaching)
• 4 thick slices baguette or country bread, toasted and rubbed with a halved garlic clove
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Melt half the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the lardons and onions for 8 minutes until browned, then add the mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon.

2. Add the garlic and flour to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the wine, stirring, then add the stock, thyme and bay leaf.

3. Simmer for 20 minutes until reduced by about half and glossy. Return the lardons, onions and mushrooms to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes more.

4. Remove the thyme and bay leaf. Whisk in the remaining butter, off the heat, and season to taste.

5. Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the vinegar. Poach the eggs, four at a time, for 3 minutes. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper.

6. Place a slice of garlic toast on each plate, top with two eggs, spoon over the red wine sauce, scatter with parsley and serve immediately.