Poached eggs with sorrel sauce

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Pick over the sorrel. Discard any tough stems and blemished leaves. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Pack the leaves closely and cut them crosswise into very thin strips. This is called a chiffonade There should be about two cups or slightly more when loosely packed.

2. Step 2

   Heat one tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan and, using a wire whisk, stir in the flour. When blended, add the broth, stirring rapidly with the whisk. Let simmer about 10 minutes or until reduced to about one and one-quarter cups. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Let simmer about five minutes or until reduced to one and three-quarter cups.

3. Step 3

   Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan and add the sorrel. Stir until the sorrel is wilted and remove from the heat.

4. Step 4

   Scrape the sorrel mixture into the sauce. Stir in the nutmeg and cayenne.

5. Step 5

   Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan or deep skillet and add the vinegar. Carefully break the eggs into the simmering liquid, keeping them separate. Let them simmer until the whites are firm and the yolks remain soft. Carefully scoop out each egg and let drain on absorbent paper toweling.

6. Step 6

   Preheat the broiler.

7. Step 7

   Using a three-inch biscuit cutter, cut out the center of each bread slice. Or, alternatively, trim the outside crusts from the bread and cut each slice into two triangles. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter and butter each piece of bread on both sides and place under the broiler until golden brown on both sides, turning once.

8. Step 8

   Arrange one egg on each piece of round toast or two triangles and spoon an equal portion of the sauce over each serving.