Oeufs en meurette - Good Food Middle East

Ingredients

• about 350ml fruity red wine
• 225ml chicken or veal stock
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 stick of celery, thinly sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• bouquet garni (see below)
• ½ tsp peppercorns
• 25g butter
• 85g unsmoked lardons
• 85g button mushrooms, quartered
• 8-10 small (sometimes called pickling) onions, peeled
• 4 slices white bread, cut 5mm/quarter inch thick
• thick oil for frying
• 2 tsp plain flour
• thumb sized piece of dark chocolate optional
• 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 4 fresh eggs
• 2-3 thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• parsley sterns