Difficulty: Medium
Artichoke Hearts with Eggs (also known as Artichokes with Watercress)
As a home cook who's prepared these dishes countless times from my grandmother's handwritten notes, here's how to recreate this elegant starter. First, prepare soft-boiled eggs (1 per person): Immerse the eggs in boiling water and cook for exactly 5 minutes. This yields a firm white with a runny yolk. Quickly transfer to cold water, then peel as you would hard-boiled eggs.
Cook artichoke bottoms in lightly salted cold water until tender. Top each with a peeled egg and a thin slice of ham. Mask with a spicy mayonnaise sauce mixed with chopped chervil. Garnish beautifully with chervil, aspic jelly, tiny boiled carrots, truffles, or your choice of accents.
Poached Eggs Au Gratin
Poach 8 eggs in 1 liter of boiling water acidulated with lemon juice or a splash of vinegar. After 2 minutes, remove and refresh in cold water to stop cooking.
Prepare the sauce: Melt the butter, stir in flour, and cook for 2-3 minutes without browning. Gradually whisk in boiling milk, then season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and 3/4 of the grated cheese.
Butter a baking dish, dust with grated cheese, add a thin layer of sauce, arrange the poached eggs without crowding, cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Brown under high heat from below (ideally under a grill or in the oven on a preheated brick for even cooking).
Hubert wishes you happy holidays
