Oeufs en Meurette
Poached eggs, nestled in a hearty Burgundy wine sauce, over a crisp slice of garlic toast, Oeufs en Meurette is a classic dish of the Bourgogne region of France.
Burgundy Wine
We are very excited to be participating in today's Sunday Supper, partnered with Gallo Family Vineyards. This year is the 50th Birthday of Gallo's Hearty Burgundy wine. And, to commemorate the milestone, Gallo Family Vineyards is producing a limited edition Hearty Burgundy with a special birthday label.
Gallo considers Hearty Burgundy their "original Red Blend", and we found it to have an incredible, dark flavor. Many dry red wines pack quite the bite, but not the Hearty Burgundy. As the first splash hits your tongue, you feel the dryness of the wine, but quite quickly it transitions into a plum and black cherry fruitiness that rolls smoothly into the back of your mouth.
Can you tell we were impressed?
It is a bold wine that would pair well with intensely flavored foods like Italian sausage, or spicy beef, making it the perfect wine for a big family gathering or party. (The 1.5L bottle it comes in helps there too!)
But, true to our nature, we decided to go a different direction, with a classic recipe that lets the Burgundy wine really shine through a-midst a number of supporting flavors and textures: Oeufs en Meurette.
Oeufs en Meurette
Oeufs en Meurette is a traditional dish of Bourgogne, one of France's main wine-producing regions. What really amazed us is how each element of this dish is truly essential in contributing to the finished plate.
The featured element is the Meurette, or red wine sauce. Typically a Meurette is flavored with bacon, onions, mushrooms, and spices. It is in this slow-simmered sauce that the wine's robust flavor infuses the vegetables with intense flavor, as it reduces.
The garlic toast base breaks up the smooth and soft textures of the rest of the dish with crispness and structure. And, even the lightly poached egg is a necessity, as the runny yolk adds a richness to the bold flavors of the wine, completing the dish.
As elegant as Oeufs en Meurette looks (and sounds), it is the perfect dish for entertaining because all the parts can be made ahead of time. The sauce can then be re-heated prior to constructing the plates and serving, leaving you more time to enjoy the company, and the wine!
Oeufs en Meurette
Ingredients
The Meurette
- 8 thick slices bacon, cut into 2” pieces
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ lb mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick
- 2 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon parsley
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ c Burgundy wine
- ¾ c beef broth (we prefer low sodium)
The Garlic Toast
- 4 slices French bread, cut 1” thick
- 1 garlic clove, sliced in half
The Eggs
- 8 cups water
- 3 tablespoon white vinegar
- 4 eggs, cold
Instructions
The Meurette
- In a large, non-stick skillet add bacon pieces and fry over medium-high until crisp (5 min). Remove bacon and dry on paper towels. Drain most of the fat from the skillet into a small mug. (Set this aside in case you need extra while sautéing the veggies.)
- Add onions and minced garlic to the remaining bacon grease in the skillet and sauté over medium-high heat until soft and just starting to brown (2-3 min). Add sliced mushrooms and sauté until they begin to soften (2-3 min). Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir to coat evenly. Reduce heat to medium and cook 1-2 minutes until the flour begins to turn a golden brown.
- Add the bay leaf, clove, thyme, salt, sugar, parsley, and pepper. Mix well. Pour in the red wine and beef broth, scraping up any stuck bits as the liquid sizzles. Return the cooked bacon to the pan. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered until the sauce is thick (25-30 min), stirring occasionally.
The Garlic Toast
- While the sauce is simmering, brush the bread slices with garlic and toast in a small, non-stick frying pan with a little bacon grease over medium-high (5-7 minutes per side).
The Eggs
- Bring water and vinegar to a boil in a large saucepan, reduce heat to medium-high to maintain a steady simmer, but not a rolling boil. Break one egg into a small bowl.
- Using the back of a wooden spoon, create a whirlpool in the boiling water by stirring quickly in one direction. Slide the egg from the bowl into the center of the whirlpool. Poach the egg for 2-3 minutes, until the whites are firm, but the yolk still gives to the touch.
- Remove the egg using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
- Continue with the remaining eggs.
To Serve
- Place each toast on a serving dish. Cover with wine sauce, and place a poached egg on top.
- Serve with a green salad.
Nutrition
Take a look at how we are celebrating Hearty Burgundy's 50th Birthday this week with recipes that are all about Burgundy wine!
- Beef Burgundy in Puff Pastry by Webicurean
- Cornish Beef Pasty with Burgundy Gravy by Neighborfood
- Pollo Alla Cacciatorra (Hunter-Style Chicken) by The Foodie Army Wife
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Polenta by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Sausage & Mushroom Ragu by The Messy Baker
- Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce with Pappardelle by Hip Foodie Mom
Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Gallo Family Vineyards via Sunday Supper, LLC. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author, and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Gallo Family Vineyards.
Sarah founded Curious in 2010 as a way to save her recipe creations and share culinary experiences. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from over 10 years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
This is such an elegant dish!
Brilliant, Sarah! Your ouefs en meruette look marveilleuse! And I am so very impressed with your culinary knowledge =)
Thanks!
I've never heard of this before but now I'm glad I did! What a great sauce and anything with a poached egg on top is a-okay with me.
I never thought I liked poached eggs until recently. Turns out you just have to do them right!
You know how I love an egg on anything and this dish sounds just heavenly!
Wow, this looks REALLY good! Great recipe!
Sounds like the perfect dish.
I don't even know where to begin! Everything about this dish is perfect, right down to the poached egg! I really need to learn how to poach an egg... can you believe? that's my hubby's job around here!
I had to do a lot of reading before poaching my first egg. It's scary!
Wow! I've never heard of this dish before, but now I'm definitely craving it. I love mushrooms in wine and combining it with garlic and a yolky egg sounds absolutely irresistible!
Thanks! I don't know what it is, but mushrooms and wine seem meant for each other!
Yum! This would make for a perfect breakfast and dinner! Heck I could have it twice in one day and love it! Great recipe!!
We were a bit sad we didn't make more of the sauce, because we wanted it again for the next meal!
I never heard of this dish but it sounds like a must try, Sarah!
Wow is this a sophisticated dish!
But so easy to make!
Sarah!
oh my goodness!!! Oeufs en Meurette?!! Wow! so beautiful and elegant. . and absolutely delicious on the garlic toast!!! So impressive!!! love this!
Thanks Alice!
Wow, what an elegant breakfast! I could close my eyes and imagine as I was in France while savoring each bite!! Beautifully done.
I love the French name and the "meurette" with mushrooms and bacon sounds divine! It would be such fun to serve this at a party..and so nice that you can make some parts ahead of time.
I know this is typically served for lunch or dinner but I'd like it for breakfast right now. Oh my it does sound good.