Autumn wild mushroom & sausage chachouka

Autumn wild mushroom & sausage chachouka

Autumn

There is a point in this recipe, or in any interpretation of a chachouka for that matter, that I struggle with. It is the point at which you crack raw eggs into a pan of perfectly cooked food. My reaction is momentary and outwardly unnoticeable, but I know it’s there. It is a sense of unease or illogic. A fraction of a second later, it is forgotten, and all I see again is the perfection in the pan and the harmony between its contents. Wild mushrooms are certainly not essential here. You can use firm little chestnut mushrooms or large Portobello, or any variety you like.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

  • splash of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 sausages
  • 1 knob of butter
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 handful of wild mushrooms or the equivalent weight in cultivated mushrooms, such as chestnut
  • handful of sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • 3 or 4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
  • 3 tablespoons crème fraîche
  • 3 eggs
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the grill to hot.

Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add the splash of oil, followed by the sausages. Cook the sausages gently for 12–15 minutes, turning regularly until all sides are lovely and golden. Take the sausages out of the pan and discard the excess fat.

Return the pan to the heat, add the knob of butter, followed by the sliced onion, the mushrooms, and the sage, thyme and parsley leaves. Season everything with a little salt and black pepper. Fry, stirring regularly, until the onion is starting to caramelize and the mushrooms are just cooked, about 8–10 minutes.

Cut the sausages into thick slices and add to the pan with the mushrooms. Cook for a further 3–4 minutes, until the sausage slices have heated through. Stir in the crème fraîche and bring to a simmer. Allow everything to bubble away for 1–2 minutes to thicken a little. Make three little wells in the pan in between the mushrooms and sausages and carefully crack in the eggs. Cook the eggs gently for 3–4 minutes, until the whites have just begun to set. Then, place the entire pan under the grill for 1 minute or so, just to cook the tops of the eggs. Serve straight away with toast on the side.

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