Eggs en Cocotte with Gravy

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Four shallow 6-ounce (180 ml) porcelain cocottes or ramekins
• •Deep roasting tin for the bain-marie
• •Small heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Kettle

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the bain-marie

   Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C) with a rack in the middle. Bring a kettle of water to a boil, then let it stand while you prepare the eggs. Choose a roasting tin that holds the four cocottes without crowding; the water must circulate around them, but they must not knock together.

2. 2

   Warm the gravy

   Warm the reduced veal gravy in the smallest saucepan you own over gentle heat. It should be glossy and fluid enough to fall from a spoon in a narrow, continuous thread. If it runs like broth, simmer it briefly; if it tightens into a sticky glaze, whisk in boiling water one teaspoon (5 ml / 5 g) at a time. Ça se rattrape. Taste it now, then keep it warm without letting it boil.

   The gravy is an accent, not a bath. Its concentration must be strong enough that one spoonful seasons two eggs.
3. 3

   Butter and fill

   Butter the bottoms and sides of four shallow 6-ounce (180 ml) porcelain cocottes generously, carrying the butter right to the rims. Break two eggs into each cocotte without piercing the yolks. Season the whites evenly with the salt and white pepper, keeping most of the seasoning off the yolks so their surfaces remain clear.

4. 4

   Poach the eggs

   Set the cocottes in the roasting tin and pour the hot water around them until it reaches halfway up their sides, taking care that none enters the eggs. Transfer the tin to the oven and begin checking after 10 minutes; they usually need 12 to 16 minutes. The outer whites should be opaque, while a faint translucent veil remains close to the yolks and the whole centre quivers when nudged. Pull each cocotte as it reaches that point. If a white is still plainly liquid, leave that cocotte in the hot bain-marie outside the oven for 30 to 60 seconds, checking often. Ça se rattrape. A yolk that has set cannot be uncooked, so trust the appearance, not the clock.

5. 5

   Thread with gravy

   Lift the cocottes from the water and dry their undersides on a folded towel. Stir the gravy, then spoon about one tablespoon (15 ml / 16 g) into each cocotte, drawing a narrow ring around the two yolks rather than pouring over them. Add no cream, cheese, or herbs; buttered eggs and veal gravy are the whole preparation. Serve immediately in the cocottes. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose reduced veal gravy that tastes of roasted veal and sets softly from its natural gelatin when cold. A good refrigerated or frozen veal jus from a butcher is the honest home equivalent to the stockpot the classical line kept ready.
• •Use shallow 6-ounce cocottes for two large eggs apiece. Deep cups leave the bottom white loose while the yolks cook too far; a broad, shallow vessel lets the bain-marie work evenly.
• •Egg temperature, porcelain thickness, and oven accuracy all change the timing. Begin looking early. A slight translucence beside the yolks is exactly right because the cocottes continue cooking on the way to the table.
• •For anyone advised to avoid undercooked eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs. Cooking the yolks until firm changes the intended texture of the dish.

Advance Preparation

• •The reduced veal gravy may be prepared up to 3 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, or frozen in small portions for up to 3 months. Reheat it gently and correct its consistency just before poaching the eggs.
• •The cocottes may be buttered up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Bring them out while the oven heats, but do not crack in the eggs until the bain-marie and gravy are ready.
• •Finished œufs en cocotte cannot be held or reheated without setting the yolks. Bring them straight from the bain-marie to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 120g)