Poached Eggs Rossini

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Four 4-inch (10 cm) removable-bottom tartlet tins
• •Rolling pin
• •Parchment paper and baking weights
• •2-quart (2-liter) saucepan
• •Wide saucepan for poaching
• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
• •Wire whisk
• •Slotted spoon

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the pastry

   Make the pâte brisée (shortcrust pastry). Mix the flour and salt, then rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and toss gently; add the final tablespoon only if dry flour remains. Press the dough together without kneading, divide it into four discs, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes. Resting relaxes the dough so the tartlets keep their shape.

2. 2

   Bake the tartlets

   Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll each disc about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick and line four 4-inch (10 cm) tartlet tins, pressing the pastry into the corners without stretching it. Trim the rims and chill for 15 minutes. Line with parchment, fill with baking weights, and bake for 14 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the bases are dry and evenly golden. If a crack opens, patch it at once with a scrap of raw dough and return the shell to the oven for 2 minutes.

3. 3

   Reduce the veal gravy

   Simmer the brown veal stock briskly in a small saucepan until reduced to 1 cup (240 ml), about 18 to 25 minutes. Knead the softened butter and flour together to make a beurre manié (kneaded butter and flour), then whisk it into the stock a little at a time. Simmer gently for 3 minutes, add the Madeira, and continue until the jus de veau lié au Madère coats the back of a spoon in a glossy film. If it lumps, strain it; ça se rattrape. If it tightens too far, loosen it with a spoonful of water or stock. Season lightly and hold it warm without boiling.

4. 4

   Prepare the finish

   Lower the oven to 200°F (95°C). Put the baked tartlets and four oven-safe plates inside for 3 to 5 minutes, then switch the oven off. Slice the truffle into four broad pieces and cover them so their perfume stays put. Set the warm gravy, a folded clean towel, the foie gras, dredging flour, eggs, and serving plates within reach. Once the foie gras enters the pan, there is no useful time for searching cupboards.

5. 5

   Poach the eggs

   Bring a wide saucepan of water to a bare tremble and add the vinegar. Crack each egg into a small cup, then lower them into the water two at a time. Poach for about 3 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks remain soft. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on the folded towel. If a white feathers, nudge it around the yolk with the spoon while it sets, then trim loose wisps after draining. Keep the eggs in a warm place for the brief minute needed to fry the foie gras.

6. 6

   Fry the foie gras

   Pat the chilled foie gras dry, season it with salt and pepper, dredge it lightly in flour, and shake off every loose speck. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat, add the butter, and wait until its foam subsides. Fry the foie gras for 45 to 60 seconds per side, until the flour forms a bronze crust and the centers remain yielding. If the pan floods with rendered fat before the foie gras browns, lift the slices out, blot them, chill them for 5 minutes, wipe the pan, and begin again over higher heat. Cold foie gras and a properly hot pan preserve the slice.

7. 7

   Assemble without delay

   Set one fried foie gras slice inside each warm tartlet. Blot the poached eggs once more and place one over each slice. Spoon enough Madeira veal gravy over each egg to coat it generously without drowning the pastry, then crown each with one broad slice of black truffle. Carry the plates straight to the table while the tartlets remain crisp, the foie gras tender, and the yolks soft. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Fresh raw foie gras is the faithful choice because the slice must be seasoned, floured, and fried in butter. Keep it very cold and handle it gently. A cooked foie gras terrine will soften rather than take the same bronze crust, so it isn't an invisible substitution.
• •The veal stock supplies the sauce's backbone. Choose an unsalted, gelatin-rich brown veal stock; if a commercial stock becomes salty before it has reduced enough, stop reducing and rely on the beurre manié for body.
• •Fresh black truffle is magnificent when the season offers it. At other times, a good whole preserved Périgord truffle is the classical pantry's honest answer. Truffle oil cannot supply the broad, tender slice the source requires.
• •Serve Œufs pochés Rossini as a first course or a rich centerpiece for an intimate supper. A dry Champagne gives the butter, foie gras, and soft yolk the acidity they need.
• •For anyone advised to avoid undercooked eggs or liver, use pasteurized eggs and fully cooked foie gras. The texture changes, but the table comes first.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake the tartlet shells up to one day ahead. Cool them completely and keep them airtight at room temperature, then warm them for a few minutes before assembly.
• •Reduce and thicken the veal stock one day ahead, stopping before the Madeira is added. Chill it promptly, then reheat gently with the Madeira and adjust the consistency just before serving.
• •The eggs may be poached up to 2 hours ahead and transferred directly to iced water. Rewarm them for 45 seconds in barely simmering water, drain thoroughly, and continue with the assembly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 205g)