At first glance this recipe might seem a little odd – eggs and red wine? – But it’s based on a French classic called Oeufs en Meurette, and who am I to argue with the French? Everyone will be delighted with their own personal little ramekin of bacon and eggs. Add a tossed green salad and you have dinner.

Makes 4 servings
Hands-on time: 20 minutes
Total preparation time: 50 minutes

4 slices homemade-style white or whole wheat bread
2 garlic cloves
6 bacon slices
2 medium shallots
1 ½ cups dry red wine
1 ½ cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 large eggs
¼ cup fresh herbs such as chives, parsley, tarragon, lemon thyme

Remove and discard the crusts from the bread, toast them lightly and cut each slice into 2 triangles. Halve one of the garlic cloves and rub it on the hot toasted bread triangles.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat 8 minutes or until browned and crisp. While the bacon is cooking mince the remaining garlic clove (about 1 teaspoon) and the shallots (about ¼ cup). Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and let it cool. Crumble it and set it aside. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.

Add the garlic and shallots to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring often about 3 minutes or until softened. Add the wine and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet until reduced to ½ cup. Add the chicken stock and bring back to a boil.

Use a fork to blend the butter and flour into a smooth paste in a small heatproof bowl. Whisk about ¼ cup of the boiling liquid into the bowl and blend until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the skillet, whisking, and boil, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange 2 bread triangles in the bottom of 4 individual 1-cup casserole dishes or ramekins. Pour a quarter of the red wine sauce over the bread in each casserole dish and carefully break 2 eggs on top. Arrange the dishes on a sheet pan and bake in the middle of the oven, 18 to 20 minutes or until the eggs are just set. While the eggs are baking chop the herbs (about 2 tablespoons). Sprinkle the eggs with the fresh herbs and crumbled bacon.