Four 4 oz ramekins or custard dishes. Or larger cocotte baking vessels or similar for multiple eggs.
Ingredients
Dried morel cream
½ozdried morelsyou can increase this to 1 oz if you like
1cuphot stocksuch as shrimp or beef, or water in a pinch
1oz2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
Generous splash of brandy
2tablespoonunsalted butterseparated plus more for cooking the croutons if using
Pinchof flouroptional
½cupheavy cream
Eggs
4large or extra large eggs
4ozraw shrimpfresh or thawed, cut into ½ inch pieces
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Garnishes
Fresh cut chivesto taste
CroutonsToasted strips fried in butter 2-3 per person
Instructions
Dried morel cream
First, make the dried morel cream. Rehydrate the morels in the stock for 30 minutes, swishing them around occasionally.
Squeeze the morels dry, reserving the soaking liquid, then remove to a cutting board and cut into 1 inch pieces. If, for any reason you suspect your morels were at all dirty/sandy, swish them a second time quickly in a couple cups of cold water, then discard the water and reserve the morels.
Heat the tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan, add the shallot and cook for a minute, then add the morels and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Sprinkle over the flour and mix to combine, then add the brandy and cook off.
Add the stock, bring to a simmer and reduce until the pan is nearly dry. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and allow to cool. Double check the seasoning and adjust as needed until it tastes rich and delicious.
From here the sauce can be made a day ahead of time.
Cook the eggs
Grease 4 ramekins or other oven-safe dishes with butter, then put them in a deep, wide pot where they will all lay flat.
Divide the shrimp evenly between the four ramekins, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then pour water into the pot (not in the ramekins) until the ramekins are half-submerged.
Bring the pot to a simmer, uncovered and cook the shrimp until just starting to turn pink, about 3-4 minutes, then crack an egg into each ramekin.
Warm up the morel cream to loosen it and divide it and the morels between each serving dish, trying not to cover up the egg yolks.
Cover the pot and turn the heat to low, then set a timer for 4 minutes. Check on the eggs by gently poking the yolks—they should be runny still. Cook them another minute if needed.
Serving
When in doubt, under cook them a tiny bit. Remove the ramekins using tongs or another utensil like a spatula, transfer to a plate, sprinkle with chives and serve with the croutons on the side.
Steamed, buttered nettles or other greens are a great side dish to serve with them.
Notes
Egg cooking times Steamed in a covered pot, 1 egg should take about 5 minutes, 2 eggs should take about 6-8, depending on the cooking vessel and your preference for runniness.Scaling the recipe It’s fine to cut this recipe in half or make smaller portions. When I make it for myself, I eat two eggs as pictured in the cast iron cocotte.