Rustic eggs

Rustic eggs. Photo / Doug Sherring

Eggs can be poached in liquids other than water. A friend of mine used to make a hearty breakfast by poaching eggs in the gravy from the previous nights roast dinner. Served on toast, which soaked up the sauce, it was a substantial start to the day. These dishes may not always look beautiful but they are certainly tasty. This recipe makes a great brunch or a quick Sunday night tea.

1 Sauté some chopped bacon and ¼ cup of mushrooms in a mix of oil and butter, keep warm.

2 In a pot, measure out ½ a cup of beef stock and ½ a cup of red wine per person.

3 Roughly chop a carrot and a few sticks of celery

4 Add a small sprig of fresh rosemary or a pinch of dried.

5 Simmer to reduce the liquid by a half.

6 Strain out the aromatics and poach 2 eggs per person in the liquid.

7 Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon, draining them on paper towel. Keep warm.

8 Pour the liquid into the pan with the bacon and mushroom mix. Turn up the heat and reduce to a sauce consistency - you may want to thicken this with a little flour mixed to a smooth paste with cold water.

9 Season and add a teaspoon of butter to gloss up the sauce.

10 Ladle the sauce on to your plate, place the eggs on top, scatter with lots of parsley and serve with toasted rustic bread.