Monday 17 January 2011

Oeufs en meurette

This one's for CHM, as I believe that eggs in red wine sauce is one of his many favourite dishes. It's a French classic from Burgundy, but equally found in nice cafés in Paris. We had never had it before, so when I came across a recipe in a little French cookbook that came as a free gift from the supermarket I decided we should try it.

Here is my translation of the recipe:

It is rated as an economical entrée of moderate difficulty, serving 4 people and taking 15 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

4 slices of white bread
4 eggs
8 slices of streaky bacon
1 onion
2 shallots
Some chives
50g butter
500ml red wine
2 tbsp white vinegar

Method:
  1. Bring the wine to a boil in a saucepan and reduce it by half.
  2. Peel and finely chop the onion and shallots.
  3. Add them to the saucepan, then reduce the wine by half again.
  4. Whisk in the cold butter thoroughly.
  5. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Strain and keep warm.
  7. Grill the bacon and keep warm.
  8. Bring a saucepan of water to a strong simmer and add the vinegar.
  9. Poach the eggs.
  10. Drain them on kitchen paper.
  11. Put an egg on each slice of bread, share out the bacon and nap the dish generously with the sauce.
  12. Sprinkle with a few snipped chives and serve.
I let the wine reduce a bit far which meant the sauce wasn't as generous or as smooth and glossy as it should have been. Personally, I felt that whilst it is an interesting dish and I am glad I've tried it, it was really rather a palaver for something that seems so simple. It's the sort of dish I probably won't make again (unless CHM is coming to supper and I want to make something to impress him).

Susan

11 comments:

Jim's Loire said...

Hi Susan. It's a favourite of mine, too. You'll also find it around Sancerre. Worth trying in a restaurant I think. Normally as you suggest there is more sauce also the bacon are often lardons as part of the sauce.

The Agnes Sorel in Genillé does a version.

Leon Sims said...

Had my first serving in Auxerre travelling from the Loire to Bugundy in 2009 - for a person who is not a big egg fan, I loved it and look forward to the next time I can try it.
A French Chef here in Australia, Jaques Raymond I believe makes it his specialy as well. I'm told on good authority from Sue we had them once many years ago at his restaurant. (I can't remember)

Tim said...

Susan, where did you get the streaky bacon? Super-U?
And Pollygarter says our old 'piano' was a De Longhi not a Panic-sonic. The newer De Longhi version of the same cooker now has two ovens, one large one small.
I haven't had lunch yet and your recipe has set my stomach growling.... THAAANKS!

chm said...

Hello Susan,
Thank you so much for the recipe and remembering it is one of my favorite dishes. My recipe is slightly different from yours, but the ingredients are the same. There are as many recipes as there are cooks, isn't it?
The beauty of it is it freezes very well and it just takes minutes to prepare a hearty "entrée".
As a matter of fact, I have meurette in my freezer right now and I'll have some as soon as I can get myself together and go get eggs at the supermarket forty miles away! LOL

Diane said...

Interesting recipe but as you say a bit of a hassle. Think I would rather just cook the breakfast and have a glass of red wine with the alcohol still in it :-)) Diane

Amanda said...

Diane, you are funny!

Susan said...

Jim: I think you are right - it's one of those deceptively simple dishes that if produced by a good chef is a real revelation. I will definitely have it the next time I see it in a restaurant.

Tim: the bacon is tranches fines de lard, from Intermarché I think.

CHM: I looked up other recipes and there are lots of little variations, such as using lardons (very common as Jim said) or carrots and even mushrooms in the sauce.

Diane: but if it freezes, as CHM says, it could be a good standby.

Jean said...

It's one of Nick's favourites and he has eaten it several times not far from us.....if only I could remember where.

Word verification is cursi...cursing the fact that I can't remember stuff like I used to.

chm said...

Hi Susan,
As Jim says the bacon or lardons are IN the sauce, not as a "side" dish. In my recipe I sauté the bacon cut in small stripes or cubes in butter, then I add onions and shallots when they're cooked I sprinkle a little flour and stir well. Then I add the wine [no reduction] and cook the sauce for thirty minutes or more. And voilà!

If you want a smoother sauce you can use a hand-held blender. I tried that and it works fine.

Diogenes said...

CHM: we drove between LA and Phoenix this weekend and could see the tranquil Salton Sea in the distance as we went up the hill near Indio. If your market is 40 miles away, it must be in Palm Springs or Palm Desert? That is far...

chm said...

Hi Diogenes,
No my supermarket is in La Quinta, which is between Indio and Indian Wells. My late partner and I used to shop at a smaller market in Indio, but they didn't have as much choice as a larger one. That's why I go a little further!
Salton City, where I spend the winter months is 60 miles south of Palm Springs.

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