Recipe: Poached Egg Florentine Style

Poached egg Florentine is a French classic you'll cook mostly in winter and early spring, when fresh spinach arrives at the market and you want something rich yet balanced. It's a dish for a intimate Sunday lunch or to impress three friends at your table, not everyday cooking but not holiday-only either. Winter fresh spinach has more body than summer spinach, that matters. Cooked or raw truffle brings depth, but honestly it works just as well with good salted Comté alone. For timing, choose spinach grown under cover from September to May : more tender, less earthy. For wine, go for a crisp dry white, Sancerre or Chablis does the job fine. If you have a good Meursault bottle around, even better with the mascarpone richness. Skip reds, too heavy with cream and egg. For sides, serve this alone in a well-heated deep plate. Maybe a piece of buttered wholegrain bread on the side to soak up the cream, that's it. Skip the salad, it would be too much. And watch the nutmeg : just a light grating, it should stay discreet.