Poached Egg and Mushrooms on Brioche

• servings: 4
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup diced, thick-cut, smoked bacon (or for a bacon-free alternative, sauté 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots and 1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes to impart a savory saltiness)

4 cups roughly chopped wild mushrooms (chanterelle, oyster, hen of the woods, or trumpet)

2 tbsp butter

4 thick slices toasted brioche (or any bread will do)

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

4 eggs

Directions

Fill a medium-size saucepot with water and bring to a gentle boil.

Heat a large skillet, and cook the bacon until lightly browned, 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the bacon and stir, coating the mushrooms with rendered bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until the moisture is released, about 5 minutes. Add butter to the pan, and sauté the mushroom mixture while the butter browns, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a paper towel–lined plate to drain off fat.

Press brioche slices into the leftover pan grease, then arrange on plates. Top each slice with an even amount of mushroom and bacon.

Season boiling water with salt and add white wine vinegar. Stir the water with a whisk. Crack the eggs into individual small bowls, and gently drop the eggs into the water. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to poach the eggs in separate batches. Turn the heat down to simmer. After 2 minutes, check the eggs. If they are firm to the touch, remove them from the water; if they wobble, leave them in the water for another 10 seconds.

Remove the eggs to a paper towel–lined plate, and turn them presentation side up. Season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of extra juices from the mushroom pan. Transfer each egg to each slice of toast, and serve immediately.

Notes

Gordon Ramsey Master Class