Title: Poached Eggs Massena
Categories: Cheese Vegetable
Yield: 4 Servings
| POACHED EGGS MASSENA |
| 4 | lg | Artichokes |
| 1/2 | | Lemon |
| | | Salt |
| | | Bearnaise sauce (see below) |
| BEARNAISE SAUCE |
| 2/3 | c | Dry white wine |
| 1/3 | c | Tarragon vinegar |
| 3 | tb | Shallots, minced |
| 2 | tb | Fresh tarragon, chopped |
| 1/2 | ts | White pepper |
| 1/2 | c | Unsalted butter (1 stick) |
| 3 | | Egg yolks |
| | | Salt and cayenne pepper |
| 4 | | Whole eggs |
| 2 | qt | Water |
| 1 | tb | Wine vinegar |
Artichoke Preparation: Cut the stems and most of the leaves off the
artichoke. With a paring knife, whittle off the leaves at the base to
expose the heart. Scrape the fibrous "choke" to leave only the disk-shaped
heart. Rub the heart with lemon. Cook with salted boiling water for about
8 minutes. Drain and refresh with cold water. Set aside. Bearnaise Sauce:
In a heavy saucepan, combine wine, tarragon vinegar, shallots, fresh
tarragon and white pepper. Boil to reduce to 3 tablespoons. Let cool.
Meanwhile, melt the butter; cool slightly. Add egg yolks to vinegar mixture
and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, for 1 minute or until the
consistancy of mayonnaise. Do not overcook or it will curdle. Whisk in the
warm melted butter in a thin stream into the wine mixture. The sauce will
thicken. Whisk in salt, cayenne and white pepper to taste. Keep warm in a
pan of warm water. Poach the 4 eggs 3 minutes in 2 quarts of water and 1
tablespoon wine vinegar. Remove with a slotted spoon and trim edges. Keep
in warm water. To assemble, heat the artichoke hearts and blot dry. Spoon a
bit of the Bearnaise Sauce into each heart. Place a poached egg on top and
spoon more sauce over. Serve at once.