Mushroom Ragout With Poached Egg And Sourdough-Garlic Croutons

Each week as my friend and I shop the weekly farmer's market, we pass a stand and say hello to a man we have nicknamed Mushroom Man. It's all he carries. Heaps of gorgeous chantarelles, hedgehogs and a secret covered bin of my favorite - black truffles. I made a mental note last week to select a mushroom recipe for this forthcoming week so that I could sample Mushroom Man's produce. 

I actually landed on 2 recipes so for this week, I am excited to share this one - a mushroom ragout.  There are lots of components here that each hold their own but when combined they form an earthy, fragrant and satisfying dish. Starting with fresh breadcrumbs made from the hollow of a fresh sour dough baguette, tossed in olive oil, garlic and salt and toasted to perfection. Following with a medley of mushrooms, sauteed and tossed with fresh herbs in a porcini-white wine broth with a touch sour cream for the slightest hint of richness. Followed by a poached egg and truffle oil. What is not to like here? It made for a heavenly lunch, but this could also be a nice weekend brunch or weekday dinner. 

{and Mushroom Man's produce was A+. I used a combination of fresh chantarelles and hedgehogs, which I have to say were delicious, albeit pricey. Although I recommend them, you can create a nice dish using a combination of shiitakes, oyster mushrooms and baby bellas, which are much more economical.}

Mushroom Ragout With Poached Egg And Sourdough-Garlic Croutons

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms

2 c+1/2 c water

1 lb+1/4 lb mixed fresh mushrooms

3/4 lb sourdough bread

6 T + 1/2 T olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced

3 celery stalks, sliced

1/2 c dry white wine

3 thyme sprigs

salt

4 fresh eggs

vinegar

1/2 c low fat sour cream

2 T fresh chopped tarragon leaves

2 T fresh chopped parsley leaves

freshly ground black pepper

truffle oil

Prep:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl with 1 c water and let soak for 30 minutes. Wash the fresh mushrooms then cut or tear about half of them so you have a combination of whole mushrooms and bite size pieces. Cut the loaf of bread in half and tear away the inside from the crust. Discard crust and cut or tear the bread into 1" pieces.

Prepare the bread crumbs:

Toss the pieces of bread with 2 T olive oil, the garlic and some salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Saute the vegetables:

Pour 1 T of oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the fresh mushrooms in batches letting each batch saute for 2 minutes {no stirring} and then turning over and sauteing for 1 more minute.  As you remove cooked mushrooms and add new batches to the pan, you can add more oil. 

When all the mushrooms are cooked and removed from the pan, make the stock:

Add 1T of oil to the pan and add the onions, carrots and celery. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and let it bubble away for 1 minutes. Lift the porcini mushrooms out of the soaking liquid, squeezing away excess liquid and then setting aside.  Add the soaking liquid to the pan leaving behind any grit. Add remaining 1 c+1/2 c water to the pan with the thyme and a little bit of salt. Let simmer gently until 1 c of liquid remains, about 20 minutes. Strain the stock, discard vegetables and pour the stock back into the pan. Set aside.

Poach the eggs:

Use your favorite method or feel free to give my method a try. Fill a saucepan or skillet with water 1" deep, place 4 egg rings or mason jar rings in the water and bring to a bubbly simmer over high heat. Gently break each egg close to the water surface, dropping each one in the center of each of your rings. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and let the eggs poach for 3 minutes. Don't peek. After 3 minutes, egg whites should be solid and yolks should be runny. Remove lid from pan.

While the eggs are poaching, finish the recipe:

Heat up the stock and add all of the mushrooms, the sour cream and most of the chopped herbs {reserving a little for garnish} and salt and pepper to taste. As soon as the mushrooms are hot, place the croutons on the plates {about 4 per plate} and top with mushrooms. Gently add the eggs on top, transferring them with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with the reserved herbs, a drizzle of truffle oil and some black pepper.

Serves 4.

Source: Plenty, Ottolenghi {egg poaching technique adapted}