Oeufs Brouilles aux Champignons Sauvages/Scrambled Eggs with Wild Mushrooms

In France, as everywhere else, cooks are spending less time in the kitchen, and dishes like scrambled eggs and soft-boiled eggs are right in style. In the foothills of the Alps and Savoy in spring, you will find local morels in the scrambled eggs, and later in the year the full range of cèpe, chanterelle, oyster and hedgehog mushrooms will be mingled with butter and herbs in one gloriousbrouillade. Serve the eggs with crusty country bread or on a slice of toast.

Serves 4

8 ounces (225 g) mixed wild mushrooms
4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
1 tablespoon (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon (15 g) chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper
8 eggs

To clean the mushrooms, rinse them thoroughly and remove the stems. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring often, until they are tender and all the liquid they released has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the parsley and chives and season with salt and pepper. The mushrooms can be cooked an hour or two ahead of time and left at room temperature.

If necessary, warm the cooked mushrooms. To scramble the eggs, whisk them in a bowl with salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until they begin to thicken. This should take at least 5 minutes. Continue stirring, lifting the pan from the heat as necessary so the eggs thicken smoothly and form very small curds. In France, scrambled eggs are served soft, but you may prefer them almost set. When cooked to your taste, stir in the mushrooms. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve at once on warmed plates.

This recipe was published in The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan.