This quartet of artichokes, poached egg, powerfully flavored cèpe (porcini) mushrooms, and dreamy, fresh winter truffles could not be more satisfying. This is a great teaching recipe and one we use during my truffle classes, where cooks get to master preparing artichokes, sweating leeks, poaching eggs, and working with truffles. Don’t worry if fresh truffles are not at hand: The remaining trio of ingredients will hold their own just fine.
My good friend and great cook Jeffrey Bergman generously shared this recipe with me.
4 SERVINGS
EQUIPMENT: A grapefruit spoon or melon baller; a small saucepan with a lid; a large skillet with a lid; a 3-quart (3 l) saucepan about 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter; a mini fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer; 4 small bowls or ramekins; a slotted spoon; paper towels, folded in quarters; 4 warmed, shallow soup bowls.
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 firm, fresh baby artichokes
1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream
1 tablespoon Cèpe Mushroom Powder
Fine sea salt
Coarse, freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large leek, white and tender green parts only, quartered, rinsed, and thinly sliced
4 large, ultra-fresh eggs, free-range and organic, at room temperature
1 ounce (15 g) fresh black truffle, peeled and cut into matchsticks (optional)
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. Fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice. With a knife, trim off and discard the stem from the base of one of the artichokes, leaving about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bend back the tough outer green leaves, one at a time, and snap them off at the base. Continue snapping off leaves until only the central cone of yellow leaves with pale green tips remains. Lightly trim the top cone of leaves to just below the green tips. Trim any dark green areas from the base. Halve the artichoke lengthwise. With a grapefruit spoon or melon baller, scrape out and discard the hairy choke (if present) from each half. Quarter each trimmed artichoke half lengthwise. Add the slices to the acidulated water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. (The artichokes can be prepared several hours in advance and stored in the acidulated water in the refrigerator.)
2. In the small saucepan, warm the cream over medium heat. Whisk in the mushroom powder until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
3. In the skillet, combine the oil and butter and melt the butter over low heat. Add the leeks and sweat—cook, covered, over low heat—until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain the artichokes, add them to the skillet, and cook, covered, until soft, about 5 minutes more. Taste for seasoning. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
4. In the 3-quart (3 l) saucepan, bring 1-1/2 quarts (1.5 liters) water to a gentle simmer.
5. Place the mesh sieve over a ramekin. Crack an egg into the sieve, allowing any thin watery egg white to drain away. Discard the drained egg white. Gently slide the egg from the sieve into the ramekin. Repeat with the remaining eggs and ramekins.
6. Gently dip the edge of each ramekin into the simmering water, so that each egg slides smoothly into the water. Turn off the heat and cover the pot until the eggs are cooked through, about 3 minutes for room-temperature eggs. The white should be firm, with no translucent areas remaining, and the yolk should have a thin opaque film over the top, but still be soft and liquid inside.
7. With the slotted spoon, carefully remove the eggs one at a time, holding the folded paper towels underneath to absorb any water.
8. Evenly divide the artichoke mixture among the centers of the warmed bowls, creating a little platform for the poached egg. Place a poached egg in the center of each artichoke bed. Evenly spoon the mushroom cream around the base of the artichokes. Garnish with the truffle matchsticks (if using) and the chives.
WINE MATCH: I love this dish with a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine Saint Préfert from the talented winemaker Isabel Ferrando: Her outstandingly appealing wine is a blend of Clairette Blanc and Roussanne, my favorite Rhône white grape.